How Can You Help Our Native Reptiles

There are few native British reptiles and their numbers are on the decline for many reasons. In the 1970's many native reptiles where taken from the wild for the pet trade. This caused the rarest of Britain's reptiles ,the smooth snake and the sand lizard, to virtually disappear. Though the adder was never popular amongst the public it was often killed as people feared it due it being the only Britain's venomous snake.Today however the commonest reptiles are also on the decline, but through many conservation programs our native reptiles future looks a little brighter.

How can you help?

Why not join your local conservation group and get stuck in with tidying up local areas to promote and encourage wildlife. You could get your school to organise a local study and make a whole new ongoing project for your area. There are lots of ways to make a difference, but we have to do it NOW.

If you have seen any of native reptiles near you why not tell us about it or even share some piccies.

we have quite a few common lizards round here, and i saw an adder a couple of summers ago in the same area as the lizards. i know they are slowly making a comeback in the area, and some places quite local have a fairly good adder population if you know where to look.
i did get hissed at by somthing in one of the woodlands i work in this year too. couldn't see anything, but didnt realy want to poke around the undergrowth too much just to get bit!
sadly no pics, never have a camera when you need one!

I wish we had adders near us but i am sure it's only a matter of time.

Hello
I am in North Dorset and a friend of mine has dixcovered a common sand lizard in her daughters bedroom!
Once identified she released it. Apparently they are rare in these parts?

Was it a common lizard or a sand lizard?
They do look alike to the untrained eye. The sand lizards are the rarest!

We have found common lizards in our garden here in sunny Bolton in lancashire :)

well apparently it was a sand lizard

Great find then :)

I also was speaking to a lady who lives in the same area, she see's grass snakes all the time in her garden.

That's great. It might be a good idea to inform your local reptile and amphibian conservation group to give them some scope on the native populations etc. :)

Yes I would love to learn about our friends in the wild! Now I need to find a group....
Slow worms are seen occasionally too. I am in North Dorset which is quite rural.

Try here :)
http://www.arg-uk.org.uk/contacts.htm

will do - thanks for that! I sometimes take in my reps to my youngests preschool or the local primary school, it would be great to educate them in native reps etc...

Yay I love you :) LOL
Good idea :)

why thanku!

I think it is so important. A good example on a kids programme they were describing a snake as slimy! It was meant to be educational! None of my snakes are slimy

I have emailed the relevant group and will keep you posted-pun unintentional :

Yeah please do.

A little girl once said that a snake felt like a handbag but never slimey!

we have adders a dog got biten by one last summer.

Reptile Rescue Den wrote:

A little girl once said that a snake felt like a handbag

Was it Paris Hilton that said that? Oh no it cant be, she wouldve said something like" is that real snake skin?"

lol

Bogga wrote:

Reptile Rescue Den wrote:

A little girl once said that a snake felt like a handbag

Was it Paris Hilton that said that? Oh no it cant be, she wouldve said something like" is that real snake skin?"

hahaha

Well I have sourced a localish group in the area and have a training day invite-can't get there though as don't drive

Awe thats a shame... can't you get a lift from a family member or a friend?

no as its a 70 mile round trip and hubby would have to occupy himself for hours. Bummer eh?

Yeah bummer!