Scientific studies and field activities to protect unique species such as the blue lizard of Capri
The World Sustainability Foundation (WSF) has initiated a collaboration with the Istituto di Gestione della Fauna and the Università Federico II di Napoli to fund a scientific research project dedicated to Italian island lizards, including the extraordinary Podarcis siculus coeruleus, known as the blue lizard of the Faraglione of Capri.
The project has a dual objective: to deeply understand the genetic and ecological mechanisms that regulate the adaptation of lizards to island environments and to promote concrete conservation strategies. Island populations are often genetically isolated and subject to unique environmental pressures, making them particularly vulnerable but also extremely valuable from an evolutionary perspective.
The activities planned for the project include:
Analysis of feeding behaviour to understand how diet influences the morphology and survival of different populations;
Study of island adaptation, focusing on physiological, behavioural, and reproductive modifications due to isolation;
Observation of predatory response to evaluate how these lizards react to predators in confined environments with a less cryptic phenotype;
Analysis of chromatic variations, with particular attention to distinctive traits such as the blue colouring of the Capri lizards, which could be linked to genetic, epigenetic, and sexual factors.
In particular, the so-called inverse island syndrome is explored, an evolutionary phenomenon in which normally camouflaged species, such as lizards, tend to become more conspicuous (as in the case of blue colouring). They tend to accelerate development, reproductive age, and the possibility of leaving offspring before eventually succumbing to predators or environmental unpredictability.
“The blue lizard of Capri, visible today only on the Faraglioni of the island, represents a biological treasure at risk of disappearing,” emphasises Paolo Bray, founder and director of the World Sustainability Foundation. “Through this project, we want to contribute to its conservation and raise public awareness about the importance of protecting even the smallest and seemingly common forms of life, which are instead fundamental for the health of ecosystems.“
Lizards are excellent bioindicators: their behaviour, diet, thermoregulation capacity, and visual signals adapt with great sensitivity to the surrounding environment. Understanding how they evolve in island contexts allows not only the safeguarding of individual species but also the collection of valuable information on ecological processes and the impact of human activities on fragile habitats.
The project is part of WSF’s global initiatives in favour of biodiversity conservation, with the aim of supporting concrete scientific research and building a network of local partners committed to wildlife protection.
