An eastern green lizard has not been seen in Switzerland for years.
Wikimedia commons
A rare eastern green lizard has been spotted in the Swiss canton of Graubunden.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jc
The lizard was spotted in the UNESCO biosphere reserve of Münstertal by a participant in a youth study week. Group leader and biologist Marco Barandun said on Wednesday that this green lizard has not been seen in Graubunden for years. According to Wikipedia the species does not occur in Switzerland at all.
Goncalves De Barros, one of the 24 study participants from 13 cantons, said the lizard was well camouflaged and sat motionless as he focused on it with his binoculars. “It was a joyful moment for us all.”
The study leader said participants had been disciplined in respecting coronavirus distancing and wearing masks, while the young people had learned to look at Switzerland with the eyes of a biologist.
Eastern green lizards’ distribution area ranges over the Balkan Peninsula (south to Central Greece) and the Danube river system to the Black Sea Coast, according to the Eurolizards websiteExternal link. Some isolated populations exist in Central Europe.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Switzerland wants to examine cooperation with the EU in the defence sector
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to examine a security and defence partnership with the EU. Exploratory talks are to begin as soon as possible. Among other things, the partnership would be used for defence procurement.
Swiss trial shows organic farming is 85% as productive as conventional agriculture
This content was published on
This is shown by the results of a globally unique open-air trial that has been running for 47 years in Therwil in the canton of Basel-Landschaft.
Nestlé fined by Swiss canton for illegally filtered water
This content was published on
Nestlé has been fined CHF 500,000 in the canton of Vaud for the unauthorised use of activated carbon filters in the production of mineral water. The filters were used to produce Henniez water from 2008 to 2022.
Swiss government proposes restrictions on Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
Only those whose life and limb are at risk in Ukraine and who flee to Switzerland are to be granted S status in future. The remaining Ukrainian refugees should apply for asylum. This is what the Federal Council is proposing.
This content was published on
The Fribourg parliament approved a sum of CHF6.4 million to renovate the ramparts, the walkway and the towers, as well as to replace the exterior lighting.
Swiss rental housing listings increase for the first time in three years
This content was published on
For the first time in three years, the number of advertisements for rental accommodation is on the rise, but this does not dampen demand, quite the contrary. In Ticino, the average duration of an advertisement published on the main portals is 30 days.
Switzerland doing relatively well when it comes to child vaccination rates
This content was published on
Progress in child immunisation has stalled. For decades, the number of children vaccinated against measles, polio and other diseases has risen. But since 2010, vaccination rates have stagnated in many countries, according to a study.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
The dearth – and death? – of Swiss biodiversity
This content was published on
No matter how green and beautiful it appears in postcards and social media posts, Switzerland is struggling to boost its biodiversity.
WWF Switzerland sees hope in the face of a dying planet
This content was published on
With the decline of animal species, the shrinkage of tropical rainforests and the loss of coral, the latest WWF study is a sober read.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.