My Ph.D. research investigated the behavior, ecology and evolution of the Ibiza Wall Lizards (Podarcis pitysensis). The Ibiza Wall Lizard, a threatened species that’s only found on Ibiza and Formentera, is the symbol of these Spanish Mediterranean islands. The lizards appear in art, on clothing and postcards, and their images are on display in restaurants, hotels, and homes throughout the islands. Despite their iconic status, few people know much about the lizards, and there’s no place for tourists and locals to learn more about this fascinating species. Ibiza Wall Lizards may have the greatest diversity of colors of any reptile -- they range from green, to blue, to orange, to black! They’re also one of only a handful of lizards worldwide that act as plant pollinators and seed dispersers, so they play a crucial role in the health of this island ecosystem. Our book, The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza & Formentera brought, for the first time ever, the folklore, biology, and conservation of these lizards to everyone through spectacular photos and easy-to-read text (in four languages: English, Spanish, German & Italian) .
Before working on this project I created an award-winning short film about these lizards behavior:
I also created an award-winning short film about some of my research on these lizards:
We raised the funds to create our book, The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza and Formentera, through a Kickstarter campaign. Funding from that campaign payed for a five-week photo expedition to Ibiza and Formentera, where we captured most of the images of our book. During that trip, we created four short films about our adventures filming the Ibiza Wall Lizard. Check them out below: