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Based in the Newry, Mourne and Down District, Dragons in the Hills has been awarded £100,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to find out more about Northern Ireland’s own little dragons – our three native amphibians and reptiles: common frog, common lizard and smooth…

Read more: Dragons in the Hills - project updates from Northern Ireland

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Whats in Your Pond? - record your frogs, newts and common lizards here  The National Lottery Heritage Fund are supporting a new project based in Northern Ireland which aims to conserve some of our priority wildlife species through community action. This exciting new project has…

Read more: Dragons in the Hills - connecting communities with their natural heritage, and conserving amphibians and reptiles in Northern Ireland

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Ponds are great!

As well as providing vital habitat for our native amphibians, ponds also support a diversity of other native wildlife including reptiles (especially grass snakes), invertebrates and provide a vital water source for wild birds and mammalian visitors. However, pond creation can be…

Read more: Wildlife Pond Construction and Habitat Creation on an Allotment in Norfolk

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  pdf Download the full article here: (2.60 MB) Many volunteer adder surveyors are reporting seeing fewer adders (Vipera berus) on study sites, and concerns have been expressed that adder declines may be widespread, and even affecting the sustainability of national adder…

Read more: Vanishing Viper 2019: A European approach to developing an adder conservation strategy

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Over the past few years RAVON our herpetological colleagues in the Netherlands, have been developing their conservation programme for the native grass snake (Natrix helvetica).  This programme has included specific habitat management for grass snakes, to enhance their breeding success and thereby increase the sustainability of…

Read more: Creating grass snake egg-laying heaps – the ‘RAVON Recipe’

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With apologies for the distressing image! As the summer progresses, we are getting reports of common toads, affected by a parasitic blow fly or ‘toad fly’. Although there are over 1,000 species of blowfly worldwide, and a number of other species of Luciliahave been associated…

Read more: Look out for toad fly this summer

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At this time of year, you may see adders basking in the open, particularly along coastal paths where there is heathland (heather and gorse), or in sand dunes, and on sunny south facing slopes. Adders are very timid and are in real danger of becoming…

Read more: Keeping everyone safe - Our adder code 'Stop, Step Back and Smile'

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We pleased to announce the launch of the 'Atlas of the Amphibians & Reptiles of Warwickshire - Vice County 38 Records up to 2018'. WART is a voluntary group that works in partnership with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) and is affiliated to the Amphibian and Reptile…

Read more: Atlas of the Amphibians & Reptiles of Warwickshire (Vice County 38 Records) up to 2018

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The good news is the UK’s wild newt populations seem to be free from a flesh-eating lethal fungus known to be prevalent in privately-owned amphibians across Western Europe, a nationwide investigation has found.   pdf The full paper can be  downloaded here (1003 KB)…

Read more: Wildlife conservation charity urges private amphibian traders to prevent Bsal fungus from infecting wild populations

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The adder could all but disappear from the UK countryside by 2032, according to new research conducted with the help of citizen scientists.   pdf Download the full press release here (193 KB) The findings, published in The Herpetological Journal, are the culmination of…

Read more: Press Release: First study of national adder population trends reveals adders are facing near extinction in Britain

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A legacy of a joy for nature - In Memorium to Madeleine Parnwell

In 2018 Steve Parnwell of Cambridge and Peterborough ARG, brought us the sad news of the tragic loss of his wife in a road accident, one night a few weeks before Christmas of…

Read more: Madeleine's Patch - 100% support from ARG UK

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by Andrew Heaton, County Recorder for Amphibians and Reptiles, LARN The LARN (Leicestershire & Rutland, Amphibian and Reptile Network) network have been working in partnership with those with an interest and enthusiasm for the amphibians and reptiles of the two counties to produce a review…

Read more: Amphibians and Reptiles in Leicestershire and Rutland: A Review (2018)

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On Saturday 22 September we joined with our wider wildlife community in Hyde Park to hear more about Chris Packham’s new ‘A People’s Manifesto for Wildlife’, and march to Downing Street to deliver it to the seat of Government. Chris has mobilised the biggest peaceful…

Read more: Chris Packham's - A People's Manifesto for Wildlife

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  Chytridiomycosis (Chytrid) has been responsible for mass mortalities of amphibians with declines and extinctions on six continents, including Europe. Until recently, most pathogenic outbreaks of Chytrid were associated with the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). However, since 2013 a newly described species B. salamandrivorans ( =…

Read more: Bsal - a deadly new newt disease on our doorstep!

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by Steve Allain, Cambridge & Peterborough ARG (CPARG) On Saturday 9thJune, herpetologists from all over the UK gathered in Glasgow for a very special occasion. The Glasgow Natural History Society, in conjunction with Clyde ARG, had organised a fantastic line-up of herpetologically themed talks for…

Read more: Two herp conferences in 10 days - Christmas has come early!

More Articles ...

  1. Adders are (even more) Amazing - Fun facts and top tips!!
  2. An ARG view of the 2018 Herpetofauna Workers Meeting - In our own words
  3. Networking at the RAVON International Adder Symposium, December 2017
  4. 100% success saving amphibians from drains in Warwickshire
  5. What does the re-classification of European grass snakes mean for our native grass snakes?
  6. 100% fund news - Swabbing midwife toads for chytrid in Cambridgeshire
  7. Snake fungal disease identified in wild British snakes for first time
  8. Review of the 2017 Herpetofauna Workers Meeting, Nottingham, 11-12 February
  9. Revised Advice note 4 - Amphibian Disease Precautions, A Guide for UK Fieldworkers
  10. Latest Updates on GCN licensing reforms
  11. ARG UK 100% fund successes in 2016
  12. Vanishing Viper Presentations Available for Download
  13. The Vanishing Viper: Priorities for Adder Conservation
  14. Herping for the Future - Volunteer with Indigo Expeditions
  15. Kids' stickers and fun fact sheets
  16. Volunteer dates now available for Merseyside Sand Lizard work parties
  17. Volunteer dates now available for Merseyside Sand Lizard work parties (2)
  18. Amphibians and SUDS Conference 2016
  19. The first national adder meeting to take place 8-9 Oct 2016
  20. Updated Amphibian and Reptile Atlases for North East England Released
  21. New for 2016 - the Revised Reptile ID Guide
  22. The 2016 Herpetofauna Workers' Meeting
  23. Report on the South West Region Amphibian and Reptile Groups Conference 2015
  24. Highlights of the First Joint Herpetological Scientific Meeting in Dublin
  25. Finding out more about diseases in our native reptiles and amphibians
  26. ARC Snake Publications
  27. Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group
  28. There's a snake in the garden...
  29. Early Success for the Sefton Coast Sand Lizard Task Force
  30. Round up of the West Midlands Regional Meeting 'Captive breeding & re-introduction of UK reptiles & amphibians'
  31. Amphibians in Drains - Scotland
  32. Make the Adder Count in 2024

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