Our Adders are Amazing Resource packs are now available to download in English and Cymraeg:
Adders are Amazing! Resource Pack
Pecyn Adnoddau Gwiberod Gwych!
We can also post out special packs containing all 24 activity sheets in a handy folder - these are available for just a £3.00 contribution to p&p. To order a pack in Welsh or English contact info@arguk,org.
Why are Adders Amazing?
The European adder (Vipera berus), is declining rapidly across many parts of the UK. Evidence from long-term monitoring schemes, such as Make the Adder Count, reveals that, alongside habitat loss and fragmentation, persecution is believed to be an important reason for these declines. As the UK’s only venomous snake, adders have long suffered a negative public image, and some communities still believe that “the only good snake is a dead snake”. Naturally secretive, it is easy to misunderstand these timid and vulnerable creatures, and underestimate their role as an indicator of a healthy environment.
Whilst habitat protection is key to adder conservation, without effective engagement and support from the wider public there is a much lower chance of success in saving this iconic species. The public needs to know why adders are special and important, and learn how to live harmoniously alongside them. Crucially, people also need to understand that persecution can have devastating effects, and could drive the adder to local extinction. To achieve this change in public perception, there needs to be increased understanding and empathy for the adder.
‘Adders are Amazing!’ (AAA!) was developed by Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK (ARG UK) to understand what drives the hatred and fear we often see directed towards adders, and address the persecution which may still be a major barrier to their conservation. The project focused on the communities of the St Davids Peninsula in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, because this is still one of the most important adder strongholds in the UK, and the local community often comes into contact with them. By increasing their understanding and awareness, we hoped that local people, would feel pride in ‘their’ adders, and would want to champion and protect them.
The project also aimed to develop novel methods for community engagement, which could then be shared with other conservation groups across the UK, including the network of volunteer Amphibian and Reptile Groups (ARGs). (Photos Sam Langdon).
It is our hope that the pack will fire up the imagination and provide you with ideas for projects in your area, to help raise awareness of adders and change the public perception of these amazing animals, before we lose them forever. Please do print out the resources, photocopy them and distribute them freely. Use them for public events, talks or school engagement work. We hope you find them beneficial and would value your feedback
Pam y mae Gwiberod mor Wych?
Mae'r wiber Ewropeaidd (Vipera berus), yn dirywio'n gyflym ar draws sawl rhan o'r Deyrnas Unedig. Yn ôl tystiolaeth o gynlluniau monitro hirdymor, er enghraifft Make Adders Count, mae erledigaeth, law yn llaw â cholli cynefinoedd a darnio cynefinoedd, yn rheswm blaenllaw dros y dirywiad hwn. Y wiber yw unig neidr wenwynig y Deyrnas Unedig, ac oherwydd hynny mae wedi dioddef delwedd negyddol yn llygaid y cyhoedd, ac mae rhai cymunedau yn dal i gredu mai "yr unig neidr dda yw neidr sy'n farw”. Yn naturiol, mae gwiberod yn gyfrinachgar, ac felly mae'n hawdd camddeall y creaduriaid gwylaidd a bregus hyn, a thanamcanu eu rôl fel dangosydd amgylchedd iach.
Mae amddiffyn cynefinoedd y wiber yn allweddol os am ei gwarchod, ond heb ymgysylltu'n effeithiol â'r cyhoedd yn ehangach, a chael eu cefnogaeth, mae ein siawns o lwyddo i arbed y rhywogaeth eiconig hon, lawer yn is. Mae ar y cyhoedd angen gwybod pam y mae gwiberod yn arbennig ac yn bwysig, ac mae arnynt angen gwybod hefyd sut i fyw mewn cytgord, ochr yn ochr â'r wiber. Yn anad dim, mae ar bobl angen deall hefyd fod erlid y wiber yn gallu cael effaith andwyol, ac y gallai olygu bod y wiber yn diflannu am byth yn lleol. Er mwyn llwyddo i newid dirnadaeth y cyhoedd, mae angen mwy o ddealltwriaeth o'r wiber a mwy o empathi tuag ati.
Datblygwyd 'Gwiberod Gwych' gan ARG UK (Grwpiau Amffibiaid ac Ymlusgiaid y DU), er mwyn deall beth sy'n gyrru'r casineb a'r ofn yr ydym yn eu gweld yn aml tuag at wiberod, ac i roi sylw i'r erledigaeth sydd o bosibl yn dal i fod yn rhwystr sylweddol i'w cadwraeth. Ffocws y prosiect oedd cymunedau Penrhyn Tyddewi yn Sir Benfro, De-orllewin Cymru, oherwydd dyma un o'r cadarnleoedd pwysicaf yn y Deyrnas Unedig o hyd i'r wiber, ac mae'r gymuned leol yn dod wyneb yn wyneb â nhw yn aml. Trwy gynyddu eu dealltwriaeth a'u hymwybyddiaeth, ein gobaith oedd y byddai pobl leol yn ymfalchïo yn eu gwiberod 'nhw', ac eisiau eu hyrwyddo a'u hamddiffyn.
Nod arall y prosiect oedd datblygu dulliau newydd ar gyfer ymgysylltu â'r gymuned, y byddai modd eu rhannu wedyn gyda grwpiau cadwraeth eraill ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, gan gynnwys y rhwydwaith o Grwpiau Amffibiaid ac Ymlusgiaid gwirfoddol. (Ffotograffau Sam Langdon).
Gobeithiwn y bydd y pecyn hwn yn tanio eich dychymyg ac yn cynnig syniadau ar gyfer prosiectau ymarferol i'w gweithredu yn eich ardal chi, er mwyn eich helpu i godi ymwybyddiaeth am wiberod a newid dirnadaeth y cyhoedd am yr anifeiliaid anhygoel hyn, cyn i ni eu colli am byth. Mae rhwydd hynt i chi argraffu'r adnoddau, eu llungopïo a'u dosbarthu fel y mynnwch. Defnyddiwch nhw ar gyfer digwyddiadau cyhoeddus, cyflwyniadau neu waith ymgysylltu mewn ysgolion. Gobeithiwn y byddant o fudd i chi a gwerthfawrogwn eich adborth!
Sam Langdon (Adders are Amazing! project officer, ARG UK/Swyddog Prosiect Gwiberod Gwych!, ARG UK)
Angela Julian (National Coordinator, ARG UK/Cydlynydd, ARG UK)
We would like to thank:
Adder are Amazing! received funding through a partnership including the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government, Biodiversity Solutions, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and Langdon Ecology.
We would also like to thank the Pembrokeshire communities, schools and businesses who participated in the project, and especially the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, for their support and enthusiasm. Without them Adders are Amazing! would not have been possible
Diolch i'n noddwyr gwych
Cafodd Gwiberod Gwych! nawdd trwy Raglen Datblygu Gwledig Llywodraeth Cymru - Cymunedau Gwledig 2014-2020, a ariennir gan Gronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig a Llywodraeth Cymru, Biodiversity Solutions, Sefydliad Esmee Fairbarn a Langdon Ecology.
Hoffem ddiolch hefyd i gymunedau, ysgolion a busnesau Sir Benfro, a fu'n cymryd rhan yn y prosiect, ac yn enwedig Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro, am ei gefnogaeth a'i frwdfrydedd. Hebddyn nhw, ni fyddai Gwiberod Gwych! wedi bod yn bosibl.
