This species contains a number of different lineages, some of which might constitute separate species (see Bea et al. 1990, Surget-Groba et al. 2001, 2002, Mayer and Böhme 2000, and Mayer et al. 2000 for further details).

One oviparous lineage was described as the subspecies Zootaxa vivipara carniolica by Mayer et al. (2000). Subsequent molecular research has supported this assignment, and several studies (summarised in Speybroeck et al. 2020) have found no evidence of genetic admixture in the contact zone between the two taxa. Speybroeck et al. (2020) consequently propose recognizing Z. carniolica as a full species. This evidence is however based on small sample sizes and no previous author has suggested species-level treatment for Z. carniolica. In order to maintain taxonomic stability, this assessment retains Z. v. carniolica as a subspecies pending further work and the possible formal elevation of this taxon.

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

The species is assessed as Least Concern for both Europe and the EU 27 member states in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

This is the most widespread reptile species in the world. In Europe, it ranges through most of the continent, being absent mainly from the south (Speybroeck et al. 2016). Its range extends further north than any other reptile, with a range limit 350 km north of the Arctic Circle (Speybroeck et al. 2016). It occurs in nearly all European territories, being absent mainly from Iceland, Portugal and all Mediterranean islands (Speybroeck et al. 2016); it also appears not to have been recorded from Andorra (Amat and Roig 2003). It is found throughout Britain and Ireland, and through most of Scandinavia, the southern limit of its main distribution running through central France, southeastern Austria, northern Italy, along the Dinaric Alps (in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and northern Albania), Hungary, southern and central Romania, northern Moldova, and central Ukraine. Its previously recognised southern range limit was the Perelik area of Bulgaria; despite several surveys south of this area the first record from Greece was taken by Strachinis et al. (2018), little more than 7 km from the previously known southern range limit. Isolated subpopulations occur in northern Spain and southwestern France, and also in Serbia, western Bulgaria and extreme northeastern and northwestern Macedonia. It can be found from sea level up to around 2,500 m asl (Speybroeck et al. 2016).

Outside Europe, the species ranges across most of northern Asia (with a southern range limit in this region in northern regions of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China) to Russia's Primorskiy Territory and Hokkaido Island (Japan). In Central Asia it is known from highly disjunct records in northern Kazakhstan and from northeastern Russia adjacent to the Mongolian border (Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008); it is widespread but with a somewhat disjunct range in northern Mongolia (Terbish et al. 2006). In China, this species is distributed in Da Xing'an Mountains and Xiao Xing'an Mountains, Heilongjiang Province, northern Inner Mongolia (Da Xing'an Mountains), and Altai Mountains in northern Xinjiang, at elevations from 200–2,900 m asl (Zhao et al. 1999). In the former USSR in the north-western side, the boundary of distribution from the coast of the Kola Peninsula continues beyond the Arctic Circle to the lower reaches of the Yenisei, then further to the east it drops to the south, to 63 gr. NL The southern border from Transcarpathia passes between the forest-steppe and the steppe (Bannikov et al. 1977, Ananjeva et al. 1998). The southern border runs along the Volga basin (Volgograd region) (Belik 2017).

This species is often abundant. The overall population is probably broadly stable, but subpopulations have locally declined in parts of its range (e.g., in the Netherlands, where it is the only species to have declined significantly since 1994) (Creemers and van Delft 2009). Local declines in southern England have been reported (Beebee and Ratcliffe 2018). Based on analysis of National Biodiversity Network atlas data between 1970 and 2017 the British subpopulation appears to be stable or expanding its range (although the increase in site records may reflect the well-established phenomenon that recorder-collected data has increased over time), suggesting that any decline over this period has not been significant enough to result in site losses (Beebee and Ratcliffe 2018). The lowland subpopulations in Italy's Po plain are almost extinct. In Germany declines appear to have been ongoing since at least 2000, and there has been a "clear" decline in densities at sites where the lizard is still present, but have only become apparent from changes in distribution since 2009 (Rote-Liste-Gremium Amphibien und Reptilien 2020). In Hungary declining trends are observed in the populations in the Plains between river Danube and Tisza, as well as in Hanság and Fertő area, paralelly with the last decades obvious aridification tendencies. Populations in the eastern part of the country seem stable and locally abundant (Halpern et al. 2019). Lowland population in Switzerland (mainly occurring in humid habitats) are strongly declining (Ursenbacher, pers. comm.).

This species has been recorded from a wide variety of habitats including grassland, meadows, humid scrubland, hedgerows, open woodland, woodland edges, peat bogs, stream edges, coastal areas (sea cliffs and sand dunes) and rural gardens. It is generally associated with high humidity and rich herbaceous vegetation (Speybroeck et al. 2016). In most areas the female gives birth to between three and 11 fully formed young. In northern Spain, adjacent France, Austria, Italy and Slovenia, the female lays between one and 13 eggs in a single clutch. In the northern portion of the range and at high altitude it is viviparous, in southwestern Europe (recognised as the subspecies Zootoca v. louislantzi) it is oviparous.

This species is highly dependent on humidity and water availability, and has consequently been used as a model organism to examine the potential impacts of less predictable precipitation patterns, a predicted consequence of climate change (Masó et al. 2019). Less predictable rainfall was found to negatively affect body condition of juvenile females and growth rates of animals in their first year, and was correlated with earlier oviposition (Masó et al. 2019). There was however no impact on survival over the four-year timescale of this experiment, and adults appeared able to adapt behaviourally to the new moisture regime (Masó et al. 2019).

This species is locally threatened in parts of its range by habitat loss resulting from agricultural intensification, urbanisation and development of tourism facilities (for example in alpine regions). Reports of local declines in parts of Britain are likely to result from habitat loss (Beebee and Ratcliffe 2018). Remaining subpopulations in Northern Ireland appear to be small, isolated and highly fragmented as a result of the fragmentation and loss of the habitats - upland heath, lowland raise bogs, and sand dune systems - on which it relies, driven by a combination of agricultural development, heath drainage, fuel extraction, infrastructure development, afforestation and invasive species encroachment (Farren et al. 2010). A similar trend has been recorded in low-elevation areas of Germany, where declines between 2000 and 2018 have been attributed to loss of moisture in favoured habitats (e.g. as a result of peat extraction) as well as changes in habitat management, the latter including afforestation following the abandonment of clear-cutting (Rote-Liste-Gremium Amphibien und Reptilien 2020). Genetic analysis of museum specimens suggests that the subpopulation on Italy's Po Plain - where all lowland subpopulations are already believed to be extinct (Ghielmi et al. 2006) - is suffering from a decline in genetic diversity, presumably attributed to ongoing (and increasing) climate and land use change, the latter driven mainly by the clearance of moist areas for agricultural development (Cornetti et al. 2018). Similar was observed in Switzerland (Ursenbacher, pers. comm.).

Enclosure experiments in France suggest that a 2°C rise in temperature has the potential to result in significant mortality in viviparous lizards and is predicted to lead to significant declines over the next century in southern Europe (Bestion et al. 2015), although the precise mechanism driving this effect is unclear and the authors' results suggest heat stress or reduced foraging time were unlikely to explain this result. They identified the southernmost Italian subpopulation as being at most imminent risk. Beebee and Ratcliffe (2018) found no support for any impact of climate change on this species, while cautioning that this may change as summer temperatures rise since much of the recent warming in the UK has manifested as warmer winter temperatures. The German national Red List entry hypothesises that climate change may be the driver or a contributory factor in the reduction of moisture levels in forest habitats, reducing their suitability for the species (Rote-Liste-Gremium Amphibien und Reptilien 2020). Similarly, Switzerland is now considering the species as NT due to climate change (UFEV and info fauna 2023). Expansion of run-of-river small hydropower plants in the hilly/mountain parts of the Balkan peninsula could indirectly, through reducing humidity in its preferred microhabitats, negatively impact on local populations of this species (Crnobrnja-Isailović et al. 2021).

There is unlikely to be any significant use of or trade in this species.

This species occurs in many protected areas. In Northern Ireland it is associated with habitats subject to Habitat Action Plans, and efforts are recommended to increase connectivity between remaining heath and bog sites (Farren et al. 2010). Similar measures, along with the creation of linear habitat corridors such as hedgerows and the maintenance of heterogeneous habitat structure in forests, are also recommended in Germany (Rote-Liste-Gremium Amphibien und Reptilien 2020). Targeted conservation is recommended for the subpopulation of Zootoca vivipara carniolica on the Po Plain (Cornetti et al. 2018). It is considered Near Threatened/Vulnerable in the Swiss Red List (in preparation 2022). In the Balkan Peninsula it is considered Data Deficient in the Bosnian Federation (Lelo et al. 2016) and Croatia (where subspecies the Zootoca vivipara pannonica is Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)) (Jelić et al. 2012), Near Threatened B1ab(iii) in Serbia (Tomović et al. 2015), Near Threatened in Albania (Anonymous 2013) and Endangered B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii) in North Macedonia (Sterijovski and Arsovski 2020). In Hungary, it is strictly protected by law. Regional assessment in Hungary evaluated the species as Vulnerable (VU) due to fragmented populations, unfavourable management of remaining habitats, and climatic scenarios potentially affecting the species negatively. However, due to currently experienced decline, the central plain populations, considered as 'Hungarian form', can be candidate for Endangered (EN) category (Halpern et al. 2019).In Switzerland, simulations have been conducted to evaluate the future distribution area including global warming. In 2080, less than 5% of the current distribution would be suitable for the species. This reduction has led to the classification as NT in the most recent Swiss red list (OFEV and info fauna, 2023).

In Russia, it lives in at least 170 reserves, national parks and sanctuaries.