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Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Home // Research grants // Our worldwide projects // South African sungazer

South African sungazer

Helping to conserve the sungazer lizard and its habitat

Sungazers, named after their habit of doing just that, are a threatened ground dwelling lizard found only in South Africa. Both them and the grassland they live in are under serious threat.

The problem

Sungazers are unique to South Africa and are classified as Vulnerable according to the IUCN.

Sungazers’ grassy homeland is being rapidly destroyed to make way for mining and agriculture. The lizards are also harvested for the illegal pet trade as they cannot reproduce in captivity so each pet is plucked from the wild.

As wild Sungazers only produce one or two offspring every two years, both of these threats have a hugely detrimental effect on the whole population.

The solution

Examining Sungazer burrows and collecting scales for genetic studies

We are funding work to conserve the remaining grasslands within the highland grasslands of South Africa. The land will be secured using the ‘conservation stewardship approach’, a process whereby private landowners legally proclaim their properties as conservation areas to be protected.

This is urgent work is being carried out along side the development of a (National) Biodiversity Management Plan for Sungazers. Research into how to successfully relocate Sungazers from damaged land to protected areas will be carried out to ensure the most efficient and effective methods are adopted.

Teaching children about Sungazer lizards and their need for conservation on a visit to the Mbumazi Game farm, Free State

Our project will also explore and address the threat of illegal trade in this species, both the pet and traditional medicine trade, through education and awareness.

Together this work will give Sungazers a brighter future in South Africa.

Latest updates

You can see the Sungazer Conservation Project Final report here.

Watch our Sungazer work featured on South African news channel SABC TV :

The landowners approached so far for site assessments are very happy that they have Sungazers on their farms and have showed great enthusiasm to work with us to protect them and their homes.