HopGossip! Autumn/Winter 2021
In this issue… The National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Programme Saving Scotland’s Amphibians & Reptiles Updates from our regional projects Fun for all at Friend’s Week 2021! & much more!
Contents Amphibian and Reptile Conservation is a national wildlife charity committed to conserving amphibians and reptiles and the habitats on which they depend. Bournemouth - Head Office 744 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset BH7 6BZ Telephone 01202 391319 Email enquiries@arc-trust.org
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Hop off the Press
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Reintroductions
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Chair of Trustees: Jonathan Webster Chief Executive Officer: Dr Tony Gent Conservation Director: Jim Foster
Scaling up.
COP 26
A video for COP 26, no Blah blah blah! Meet the Team - Martine Watkins.
Data & Monitoring
Extinction risk defined for Britain’s amphibians and reptiles. The National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Programme.
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www.arc-trust.org Patrons: Earl of Malmesbury Chris Packham Iolo Williams Lucy Cooke
ARC News.
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Saving Scotland’s Amphibians & Reptiles (SSAAR).
Projects
Promising news for northern pool frog populations. Full steam ahead for the SitH team!
Projects
A rewarding year for Welsh reptiles.
Fundraising
Legacies and Gifts In Memory. BH Coastal Lottery. Administration & Finance Manager: Helen Wraight 16 Events Administration & Finance Officer: Martine Watkins Administrative Support Officer: Angela Reynolds Fun for all at Friend’s Week 2021! Amphibian Conservation Officer: Yvette Martin ARC/BHS Joint Scientific Meeting 2021. Communications & Outreach Manager: Anju Sarpal 18 Species Profile Connecting the Dragons Project Officer: Peter Hill Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) Connecting the Dragons Project Officer: Mark Barber Oblong-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia) Connecting the Dragons Project Officer: George Mee 19 Tail-Enders Database & GIS Officer: Dr Rob Ward The eyes have it! Dorset Field Officer: Richie Johnson Dorset Field Officer: James Anderson-Barr Cover photo: Common Dorset Field Officer: William Emmett-Mair (or viviparous) Lizard Dorset Field Officer/Health & Safety Officer: Richard Sharp (Zootoca vivipara) © Lee Dorset Seasonal Field Officers: Dan Parker, Phil O’Keefe & Stuart Handyside Collins. Friendship & E-Communications Officer: Kim Boughey Fundraising Coordinator: Atul Srivastava Hop Gossip is edited and GCN Conservation Officer/Species Coordinator: Dorothy Driver designed by Angela IT Project Officer: Johnny Novy Reynolds. North Wales Officer: Mandy Cartwright North Wales Seasonal Officer: Joe Franklin Please note: The views Pool Frog Recovery Project Manager: Dr John Baker expressed in this Reptile Conservation Officer: Nick Moulton Regional, Training & Science Programmes Manager: Dr John Wilkinson newsletter are not Saving Scotland’s Amphibians & Reptiles Education Officer: Janet Ullman necessarily the views of Saving Scotland’s Amphibians & Reptiles Project Officer: Dr Rachael Cooper-Bohannon Amphibian & Reptile Senior Dorset Field Officer: Chris Dresh Conservation but those Senior Ecologist - Projects: Paul Edgar of the authors. Senior Reserves Manager: Gary Powell Snakes in the Heather Citizen Science & Operations Officer: Ben Limburn Amphibian and Reptile Snakes in the Heather Public Engagement & Education Officer: Owain Masters Conservation is a South East Project Officer: Rachael Maddison Registered Charity. Species Programme Manager: Dr Karen Haysom England & Wales Charity Wealden Field Officer: John Gaughan number. 1130188. Wealden Field Officer & Volunteer Coordinator: Fiona Haynes Scotland Charity number. Wealden Reserves Manager: Rob Free SC044097. Wealden Seasonal Field Officers: Jack Harper & Thaddeus Coward
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If you would like to contribute to the next edition please contact Angela Reynolds at angela.reynolds@arc-trust.org.
From the Editor’s desk
C.E.O.’s Corner Dr Tony Gent
Welcome to the latest edition of Hop Gossip! I would like to extend a very warm welcome to our new Members following the launch of our new Membership Scheme. Thank you for joining a growing team of enthusiasts who share a deep appreciation for our charismatic amphibians and reptiles and our natural environment. Your support means a great deal to us. I hope our existing Friends have had a smooth transition across to Members, and are enjoying the new benefits that come along with it. Our Communications and Outreach Team have worked hard on the new content over the past few months and would love to hear your feedback. You can find the contact details on page 5. Our Species and Data Team, along with our IT Project Officer, have also been working extremely hard on ARC’s new National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Programme over the past year. The new system will streamline and centralise all herpetological records coming in to ARC, making analysis of data much more efficient. You can find out more about it on page 9. We’ve had a very busy year in general, with launches of new systems and products, all of which you can read about throughout the newsletter. Our project teams have gone above and beyond delivering events and training volunteers, in difficult circumstances, with the various restrictions that have been in place. We also have encouraging news from our Norfolk Pool frog team. I can’t quite believe another year has gone by so fast! With Christmas around the corner, we have time to reflect on what has taken place this year and feel positive about what is to come. I wish you all good health and happiness for 2022. Angela Reynolds Hop Gossip Editor angela.reynolds@arc-trust.org
Over the past few months there has been a considerable amount of activity concerning the environment – including high profile Conferences of the Parties (CoPs) for convention on Climate Change in Glasgow, and on Biodiversity in China. A new Environment Act for England has received Royal Assent, bringing in binding targets and new mechanisms such as ‘biodiversity net gain’ to secure improvements to our natural environment through development. Indeed, it is likely that the environment has never had a higher political and public profile than at present and many people in the environmental sector are hailing this the most exciting time in their careers. This is long overdue – the UK is considered one of the most nature depleted countries in Europe. Sadly, it seems necessary for there to be a crisis before action starts to be taken. While it is heartening to see the environment in the spotlight, it is important to take a critical look at what is being advocated; to check that apparently strong commitments aren’t peppered with caveats, or to make sure that the implementation of new ideas does not undermine previously successful approaches. This is particularly so when looking at the conservation needs of particular groups of species. Reptiles and amphibians have very specific habitat needs and these are often maintained by active intervention management. ‘Rewilding’ is gaining increasing support – but this term can mean different things to different people. Certainly, returning nature and natural processes to large areas of land offers huge potential benefits for wildlife, and especially where land has previously been used intensively. Simply letting nature ‘do its own thing’ could risk key habitats, such as open heaths and meadows to scrubbing up, or ponds to become over-grown and silt-up. Returning large animals, such as cows or even wild boar and bison, to create more dynamic habitats, could risk destroying important structures needed for reptile basking or places used for hibernation or egg-laying. We support the planting of more trees, they benefit wildlife, climate and people – but this must be done in the right places; a drive to fill in any corner of open space with trees could lead to significant areas of open habitat, vital for amphibians and reptiles, becoming over-shaded. As people look on a larger scale, seeking to create bigger and more joined up areas, there is an assumption that different species will simply ‘look after themselves’. In some cases they might, but others will not be able to survive! Undoubtedly these big problems need big solutions – and we are pleased to see that the scale of ambition is now greater than it has been in the past. There are many good ideas being developed that should make impacts on a large scale. As these get implemented, though, we need to make sure we fully understand how our wildlife is responding. As we excitedly stride off in new directions we must ensure we’re not inadvertently trampling on the very things we seek to conserve. At ARC, we have spent a lot of time influencing nature conservation policy and practice. In particular we are working to make sure that different species are fully considered so that they benefit from the new legislative, policy and practical measures that are being taken forward. We’re here to provide a voice for amphibians and reptiles – we know it’s important that it gets heard. 3
Hop off the Press Have your say By Anju Sarpal - Communications & Outreach Manager
As part of ARC’s commitment towards maintaining and developing a working environment that is welcoming to people from all backgrounds and abilities, we have recently embarked on a development programme with the National Centre for Diversity (NDC). As a first step we aim to collate your views via a survey that will enable you to “have your say” on how we are doing in terms of FREDIE: Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement. From your feedback we will develop support and training from recommendations given by NCD. Your responses will remain confidential and ARC staff will not be party to individual responses, giving you the opportunity to be open and honest in your views. The survey forms part of a wider ARC Equality Diversity Inclusion programme, in partnership with the ReThink Nature partnership, Wildlife and Countryside LINK and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. A separate FREDIE volunteer survey has also been issued (https:// tinyurl.com/FREDIEvols) allowing us to assess the volunteer experience and how we can improve on removing barriers for engagement. Please do take the opportunity to complete the survey, which should take no more than 15-20 minutes, to have your say and give us a solid starting point to take this programme forward.
Dressed for success! By Angela Reynolds - Editor This winter, ARC staff and volunteers will be kitted out in a range of new clothing provided by our Corporate Supporters Hotline - Dorset based supplier of promotional products & branded merchandise. With our staff and volunteer numbers growing country wide, we have even more opportunities to maintain a visible presence to the general public, partners and stakeholders and promote our brand and activities year round. We have two new products to add to our current range of polo shirts and fleeces – a beanie hat and an outdoor jacket to keep our field based staff warm and waterproof in our good old British weather! The volunteer polo shirts have been rebranded and will be issued to our regular volunteers along with a beanie hat to say thank you for their commitment and highly valued hard work, week after week, in all weathers. Beanies will be available from the ARC online shop to buy at a discounted price for our ARC members www.arc-trust.org/ Pages/Shop
THIS SURVEY CLOSES ON DECEMBER 31ST 2021. Take the survey here: https://tinyurl.com/
FREDIEsurvey
Photos: ARC’s Rachael & Gary and ARC volunteer David © ARC
New ARC Children's story book ‘In Search of Old Uncle Blue’ - Available now! By Owain Masters - Snakes in the Heather Public Engagement and Education Officer Sophie thinks she might be a snake, but she isn’t sure... Full of eager curiosity to find out about herself and others like her, Sophie sets off on an adventure to find her family. This educational storybook, with a readership level of 4-10 years, is beautifully illustrated with hand-painted artwork and teaches the reader about our fascinating wildlife, especially reptiles, and the habitats that can be found on our doorstep - a great gift for children at Christmas! You can get a sneak preview from our Patron Chris Packham here: https://tinyurl.com/CPackham-ISOOUB-reading 4
The book is available to purchase from our website shop at a discounted price for ARC members and volunteers www.arc-trust.org/pages/shop/department/books
Hop off the Press What’s new with the ARC crew? By Angela Reynolds - Editor I have been very busy on the HR front since the last edition of Hop Gossip! Back in August we said goodbye to Bryony Davison, our Weald Field Officer. Bryony was a very popular member of staff both with colleagues and volunteers. She relocated to Cheshire to work for the National Trust and to be closer to her partner Ralph Connolly, who left ARC earlier in the year. Good luck Bryony! After a successful season, pool frog project staff are moving on. In September, Emily Jordan, Project Assistant, moved on to start a PhD studentship, and in December, Project Officer, Ben King, will be moving on to the Freshwater Biological Association to work with conservation of the freshwater pearl mussel. Everyone at ARC wishes them the best in the next steps in their conservation careers. Our new Saving Scotland’s Amphibians & Reptiles project is well underway and we hope you will extend a very warm welcome to our dynamic duo Dr Rachael Cooper-Bohannon and Janet Ullman. You can read all about what they have been up to on page 7 and our feature article. Dr Andy Buxton has moved on from his role as South Midlands Newt Conservation Partnership Project Officer to start an exciting new career in teaching! We wish him every success with his new adventure. And finally, we welcome the return of our Seasonal Field Officers. Up in North Wales, Mandy Cartwright will shortly be joined by Joe Franklin as our new North Wales Seasonal Field Officer. Stuart Handyside and Phil O’Keefe have returned to the Dorset field team along with newcomer Dan Parker. In the Weald we are joined by Thaddeus Coward and Jack Harper. We hope the weather will be kind to them this winter!
HWM 2022 Part 1 – Coming soon! By Anju Sarpal - Communications & Outreach Manager
New Membership Scheme! By Kim Boughey - Membership & ECommunications Officer
The ARC and ARG UK Herpetofauna Workers Meeting 2022 is due to comprise of two parts next year. The first will be a Non-native Species Symposium, held online via Zoom, on Saturday 5th February from 1:30pm – 5pm.
In November, ARC launched a new Membership Scheme giving our members more than ever before, including discounts in the ARC online shop and access to our new online Members Area.
We have a great range of speakers lined up including survey results and latest research covering non-native reptile and amphibian species. We look forward to welcoming you to join in with our polls and Q&A sessions for what is shaping up to be an exciting afternoon. Keep an eye on our social media channels and visit our website in the new year to book your space! Tickets are free for ARC and ARG members and £5 for non-members. Midwife toad - introduced in to a Bedfordshire garden in the 19th century © Howard Inns (ARC).
Everybody already signed up to the Friendship Scheme has been automatically transferred to the new scheme. I hope you have all had a chance to activate your membership on our website, but if you haven’t, you can watch the teaser video here https://tinyurl.com/members-teaser This new area of the ARC website, exclusively for our members includes: An online ARC Reserve Handbook An interactive reserves map A resources library – find videos, leaflets, advice notes, handbooks and more HopGossip! magazine archive News, events and offers Discounts in the ARC online shop and more coming soon! You will continue to receive: HopGossip! members’ magazine (x2 per year) ARC eNews (x6 per year) ARC Members Day invitation Discount on ARC conference fees We would love to hear your views and our team will continue to update the site. Contact us at members@arctrust.org. We are currently working on a new Family Membership option so stay tuned for further 5 information early next year!
Reintroductions Scaling up By Nick Moulton - Reptile Conservation Officer Back in the autumn, over 140 of the UK’s rarest lizard, the sand lizard, were released back in to the wild in Dorset. The sand lizards released in Dorset over recent years have been bred at Marwell Wildlife’s specialist reptile breeding centre, Forestry England’s Reptile Centre, Avon Heath Country Park and by local wildlife specialist Martin Noble. Working in partnership with ARC, the juveniles are released each year at strategic locations with the long-term aim of growing the population and building the connections between different sub-populations to return this species from near extinction. In 2021 young sand lizards were reintroduced on Forestry England land and follow on from 200 released in the same spot last year. Despite an unfavourable spring, many captive sand lizards managed to lay two clutches of eggs and the lack of prolonged hot or wet periods over the summer helped these to remain in good condition, prior to being excavated and incubated until hatching. In the UK sand lizards are dependent on dry, sandy lowland heathland or coastal sand dunes. Sand lizards have declined considerably owing to loss of suitable habitats and are now only found in a few isolated areas of southern England and Merseyside. ARC recently carried out a country-wide assessment of extinction risk of the species, classifying them as still Highly Endangered in the UK. Reintroductions in several locations across the UK are seeking to boost numbers in conjunction with restoration of the habitats these rare animals need to thrive. Dorset is one of the key strongholds for sand lizards with over 70% of the remaining UK population found here. Ongoing habitat restoration at Forestry England release sites in the area ensures the new populations have suitable habitat. The work includes removing dominating vegetation to open up the sandy areas needed for breeding. The restoration of sand lizards to heathland habitat is a vital part of a wider conservation and environmental recovery. Sand lizards are good indicators of a healthy ecosystem where flora and fauna are thriving. The work taking place to restore and care for heathlands is playing a vital role in re-establishing the UK’s population of these incredible reptiles. Data from our introductions in Dorset over recent years is showing promising signs of ongoing breeding and the establishment of populations across a growing area. This release of young sand lizards is another important milestone in continuing this recovery of a critical species.
“Dorset’s heathlands and forests are home to some of the UK’s rarest wildlife and we work hard to ensure they have the right habitats to thrive here. It’s really encouraging to see the positive progress being made by the sand lizards released over the last few years. ” Mark Warn BEM - Wildlife Ranger Forestry England
“Our conservation breeding population of sand lizards has had another exceptional year. This is Marwell’s thirty-third year of involvement with the sand lizard reintroduction project. Marwell Wildlife is committed to the restoration of species and habitats and we are thrilled to be able to continue supporting this vital conservation work.” Rachel Gardner - Ecologist Marwell Wildlife Photo top right: Sand lizard © ARC. Photo bottom left: L to R Mark Warn BEM (Forestry England), Heather Radice (Urban Heaths Partnership), Rachel Gardner (Marwell Wildlife) & Nick Moulton (ARC) © ARC. 6
Conservation projects like this rely on the hard work and support of multiple agencies. We are extremely grateful to Forestry England for supporting the releases and their ongoing management of key habitats, and to Marwell Zoo and our breeding partners for their captive breeding expertise and ongoing support of this project.
COP 26 A Video for COP 26, no Blah, blah, blah! By Janet Ullman - Saving Scotland’s Amphibians & Reptiles Education Officer COP 26 is over and the streets of Glasgow are cleared of any trace of it. What remains are video messages from a number of organisations and individuals asking the delegates of COP to listen and to act. Amongst that number of videos on Facebook and YouTube you can find ARC’s video on the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation channel. The new ARC project team for Saving Scotland’s amphibians and reptiles project (SSAAR) comprising of myself and Rachael, were asked to do a COP 26 video, as we were close to the action in Scotland. Team Scotland was honoured to be given the opportunity, but how would our message stand out amongst so many? Every day on Facebook another video plea to COP was shared, there was a danger any more would add nothing to what was already out there. I had been working with Plockton High School in Lochalsh, and been impressed by the level of knowledge and understanding the students had of environmental issues facing them. I reasoned that perhaps people wanted to hear from the communities ARC work with, especially from the next generation who will inherit all of the outcomes of COP. I asked the school’s Head of Science if the students would be interested in delivering their message to COP through ARC and here we have to say a big thank you to Mr McGrath and the whole school for supporting the idea.
These Plockton High School Students have a clear message. © Janet Ullman (ARC).
The students came together to decide what they needed to say, they did not hold back. Their message is honest, ‘To massively compress time for action’ and ‘To have genuine concern’. The students’ film has a wee Team Scotland intro and end videos, as ARC is proud to give communities a greater voice. No Blah blah blah! You can view the students video here https://tinyurl.com/plockton-high-COP26 We are very grateful to our funders, the Helvellyn Foundation, The RS MacDonald Charitable Trust and The Bannister Charitable Trust who have made this project possible.
Meet the team: Martine Watkins - Admin & Finance Officer What does a day in the life of an Admin and Finance Officer look like? My day isn’t as exciting as others, but nevertheless it is enjoyable – if you like admin and finance! I am part-time and each day is different depending on the day of the week and how far through the month we are. It always starts with my email mountain, as this can often determine how the rest of the day will go. I deal with invoices from suppliers and to customers, put together quarterly financial claims for ARC projects, book keep with Helen and Angela and deal with monthly staff paperwork. What do you like most about working for a wildlife conservation charity? I love the fact, that in this crazy and materialistic world, I am lucky enough to work for an organisation that is conserving the amazing environment that we live in. Although I’m behind a desk in the office, and not hands on in the field, without the admin and finance team things would quickly grind to a halt. Do you have a favourite reptile or amphibian and what do you love about them? My favourite changes on a weekly basis; at the moment it is the frog. I love the many different colours, sizes and the way they have learnt to adapt to their surroundings, (and the fact they love the slugs eating our 7 veggies)!!
Data & Monitoring Extinction risk defined for Britain’s amphibians and reptiles By Jim Foster - Conservation Director Almost one third of Great Britain’s amphibian and reptile species are threatened with risk of extinction, according to a new report by ARC. Moreover, two species often considered common may be heading down a similar route. With support from Natural England, ARC has undertaken the first regional assessment of extinction risk using the IUCN Red List method, a globally recognised approach. Whilst typically applied across the global range of a species, Red Listing can be applied at smaller scales, and ARC did this for all native amphibians and reptiles at Great Britain and country levels. The exercise reveals that 4 out of 13 species (31%) are in one of the “Threatened” categories, meaning they face a tangible risk of extinction at country level. The most threatened species is the northern pool frog, now classed as “Critically Endangered”. The natterjack toad, sand lizard and smooth snake are each assessed as either “Endangered” or “Vulnerable”. The common toad is “Near Threatened” in Great Britain, England and Scotland, and the adder is “Vulnerable” in England and “Near Threatened” at all other scales. All of the species are deemed “Least Concern” at a European or global level, the lowest threat category, meaning that is there is no appreciable risk of extinction at these scales. These new results therefore usefully highlight how extinction risk varies substantially according to the spatial scale of assessment. The main factors driving threat levels for amphibians and reptiles appear to be the loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat. The results echo findings for British butterflies, pointing to the possibility of common threats. ARC hopes the results will prove invaluable for conservation. Red List categories could, for example, be used to inform revised approaches to protected site designation. The findings for common toad and adder are especially useful since they reinforce the message that wide ranges may mask declines, and these species deserve greater conservation attention. The Red List assessment will be reviewed as new data emerge in future, possibly meaning some species shift category in years to come. As with any assessment method, care is needed when interpreting and applying Red List categories. Red Listing simply expresses extinction risk at a given spatial scale, and so other information must be used alongside or even instead of Red Lists for most conservation applications. Red Listing uses a “floor” – i.e. extinction – but for species above that level it does not usefully assess true conservation status. Even species that are substantially depleted can be assessed as “Least Concern”, as we found. This is highlighted in new research published in July where a “Green Status of Species” is proposed to address the shortcomings of Red Lists. ARC encourages appropriate use of Red Listing in Great Britain, noting that unfortunate consequences can arise, for instance when it is used as the main criterion for legal protection as we highlighted recently. Notwithstanding those caveats, this first Red List for Britain’s amphibians and reptiles is a significant achievement and we look forward to seeing it used to drive conservation action. ARC is thankful for the support of Natural England for this work. The report is available at ARC’s “Technical reports” page https:// www.arc-trust.org/technical-reports and the full reference is: Foster, J., Driver, D., Ward, R. & Wilkinson, J. (2021). IUCN Red List assessment of amphibians and reptiles at Great Britain and country scale. Report to Natural England. ARC report. ARC, Bournemouth.
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Photo top right: Sand lizards are assessed as ‘Endangered’ in Great Britain, contrasting with their global ‘Least Concern’ rating © Chris Dresh (ARC). Photo bottom left: Substantial declines in the common toad mean the species is deemed ‘Near Threatened’ in Great Britain © Fred Holmes (ARC).
Data & Monitoring
The National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Programme By Dr Karen Haysom - Species Programmes Manager Understanding the status and trends of amphibians and reptiles is fundamental to deciding priorities for conservation actions to secure species populations in the long-term. Information on species distribution, abundance and habitat condition can help landmanagers make decisions on habitat management to suit the ecological requirements of species at a local level, and can also inform the development of conservation strategies at landscape, regional and national scales. ARC is committed to evidence-based conservation; we encourage species recording, train people in species identification and field-craft skills, carry out and co-ordinate species and habitat surveys and collaborate on conservation research. Now we are introducing some exciting improvements to our survey programme. To raise the profile of amphibian and reptile monitoring work there’s a new name for our portfolio of surveys and projects that generate data for conservation - the National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Programme. You can find out more about current projects by visiting the ARC Survey Hub (www.arc-trust.org/ monitoring). The programme will expand to include new initiatives over time, as it is our ambition for it to become a comprehensive source of information on both rare and widespread species. There are surveys suitable for beginners such as Garden Dragon Watch and others for people with more experience. We are looking for volunteer surveyors, and also landowners who could offer to host survey sites, for the National Amphibian Survey https://amphibian-survey.arc-trust.org and/or National Reptile Survey https://reptilesurvey.arc-trust.org. These surveys, which will be running from spring 2022, are designed to determine trends in amphibian and reptile populations. They take forward and update the widespread amphibian and reptile elements of the National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) which has been running since 2007. Our aim is to grow a large network of long-term monitoring sites that surveyors will visit several times each year. The surveys make use of new technologies to help surveyors collect and submit data and new data analysis techniques. Participants are offered a free personal login to ARC Survey Hub to access content and interactive resources including maps, survey guidance, training materials and digital forms/apps for submitting data and viewing their survey results on a mobile phone, PC or tablet. Please sign up to help us with surveys next year if you can. Every single record helps!
Photo top right: Natterjack toad survey © Angela Reynolds (ARC). Bottom left: Checking reptile refugia © Ben Limburn (ARC). Bottom: Frog spawn © Chris Dresh (ARC).
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Feature Saving Scotland’s Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAAR) By Dr Rachael Cooper-Bohannon - SSAAR Project Officer Janet Ullman - SSAAR Education Officer & Dr John Wilkinson - Regional, Training and Science Programmes Manager
Scotland is renowned for its diverse landscapes; the vast expanse of mountains, glens, moorlands and majestic coastline, made up of ‘lovely crinkly edges’, and the quiet rolling hills, lochs and pastures of the lowlands. Part of its many charms are the plants and animals found across Scotland’s landscapes. Unfortunately, we have already lost nearly 25% of our wildlife in Scotland! Like us, they all struggle with the challenges of sometimes experiencing four seasons in a day – long, dark winters and short summer nights as the sun appears to skip along the horizon. The amphibians and reptiles that survive here are incredibly resilient. Climate change, pollution and loss of habitats cause increased stress, tipping the balance of survival. We need more data to better understand how Scotland’s amphibians and reptiles are doing and we urgently need people across Scotland to get involved! It is with this in mind, we are delighted to let you know about a new initiative that has joined the ARC family of projects this Autumn: the Saving Scotland’s Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAAR) project. The SSAAR project builds on ARC’s previous project work in Scotland, and with two new members of staff on board, SSAAR aims to expand this work. ARC recently welcomed Rachael Cooper-Bohannon (Project Officer) and Janet Ullman (Education Officer), both have backgrounds in conservation, species monitoring and community engagement projects. Our priority in Scotland is to collect baseline and monitoring data for Scottish amphibians and reptiles, which is only possible through the collective help of Citizen Scientists. Rachael will be heading up a Scotland-wide Citizen Science survey (the National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Programmes). We welcome both those with experience but also those with no previous experience to join in and volunteer as surveyors. Backed by ARC staff expertise, we’ll support you with training and advice along the way. We welcome individuals and also community groups. You will learn how to monitor and record species, and we will support survey volunteers to further develop their skills and to share those skills with others, expanding the volunteer network through and between communities. If you have experience and would be interested in becoming a trainer or mentor, please get in touch with Rachael at rachael@arc-trust.org. 10
Photo top: Smooth newt © Chris Dresh (ARC). Right: Common frog © Fred Homes (ARC).
We are also very keen to support land managers, from identifying what species you have on your land to habitat creation and management. Every place has a role to play in stopping the decline in amphibians and reptiles’ populations. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more. No conservation project is complete without events, activities and workshops, which will increase awareness of how amphibians and reptiles live, their place as our close neighbours and friends when it comes to controlling garden pests. Local communities are the custodians of their environment and, by fully appreciating the species within it, they can safeguard them. Janet will be heading out and about in local communities, bringing wildlife fairs, art activities, stories, poetry, pond dips, games and of course nature walks and talks to schools, organised groups and the wider community. For further information email: janet.ullman@arc-trust.org. The SSAAR project is more than just another conservation survey project. Great things are achieved through individuals coming together for the benefit of species conservation, whether that is to build refugia for hibernating slow-worms or doing a slithering snakes puppet workshop. SSAAR aims to support strengthening communities by encouraging new skills and overcoming isolation through connecting to nature and reconnecting with life after lockdown. If you live in Scotland and want to find out more or get involved, please visit: www.arc-trust.org/savingscotlands-amphibians-and-reptiles We are very grateful to our funders, the Helvellyn Foundation, The RS MacDonald Charitable Trust and The Bannister Charitable Trust who have made this project possible.
Photo top: Pond dipping event. Above left: Excitement at finding a slow worm! Above left: Janet during pond dipping © ARC.
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Projects Promising news for northern pool frog populations By Emily Jordan - Pool Frog Recovery Project Assistant & John Baker - Pool Frog Recovery Project Manager Following on from our releases of captive-reared tadpoles in July, the pool frog recovery team has been busy surveying for emerging ‘metamorphs’. A metamorph is a young amphibian that has just completed metamorphosis; it has developed hind and fore-limbs, and has absorbed all or most of its tail. Once the tail is completely absorbed pool frog metamorphs look like miniature versions of the adult frog. The numbers present are an indicator of breeding success in that year. This August we were able to find a really promising number of pool frog metamorphs at Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Thompson Common, the highest count since they were introduced to this site in 2015! Metamorphs were present at wild-breeding ponds as well as ponds where we had released captive-reared tadpoles, indicating that the frogs multiplied well naturally in addition to receiving a boost from head-starting efforts. At the initial reintroduction site, in a confidential location, the population is likewise continuing to spawn successfully and we have observed emerging pool frog metamorphs across multiple ponds, some of which were also supplemented with head-started animals. This is great news for both of the populations and hopefully we will continue to see increases in future years. The Institute of Zoology has carried out regular health examinations of pool frogs (and other amphibians) at both reintroduction sites since the species was reintroduced to England, with the latest examinations conducted during August this year to coincide with metamorph emergence. No significant health or disease problems have been found at either site and the pool frog recovery team and the rest of ARC hopes the results of this year’s examinations will be no different. Even though northern pool frogs are currently hibernating, project staff have been busy identifying, assessing and visiting potential future reintroduction sites and meeting with landowners and managers. Northern pool frogs are fussy about their habitat so a guide to what they require has been produced to help future potential partners decide whether their sites might be right for the frogs. This is available as a document or brief video clip, both of which can be downloaded from the project web page (below). Several ponds at the first reintroduction site have been restored. In practice this means that ponds that have become overgrown with vegetation have been opened up, allowing in more sunlight. This will also benefit a range of other species, including all sorts of rare aquatic life that shares ponds with pool frogs. We have been reviewing the various head-starting (captive rearing and release) methods used for northern pool frogs over the years. Head-starting this year has been particularly successful, producing the greatest quantity, and highest quality, of tadpoles so far. Five hundred and fortytwo tadpoles were released, exceeding our target by over 80%, with tadpoles growing up to 70mm long! We have recently enjoyed hosting an international workshop with experienced amphibian conservation experts from across Europe, to assess methods for increasing the numbers of northern pool frogs in the future.
Above and top right: Pool frog metamorphs © John Baker (ARC).
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You can read more about the project at www.arctrust.org/recovering-the-pool-frog-englandsrarest-amphibian
This project is funded by the Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.
Projects Full steam ahead for the SitH team! By Owain Masters - Snakes in the Heather Public Engagement and Education Officer My goodness the Snakes in the Heather team had a busy summer! With a full summer season, the ability to resume events safely and the huge amounts of people out enjoying our natural spaces, we have been working non-stop on our mission to conserve the smooth snake for future generations. Our Citizen Science programme is full steam ahead. We delivered reptile survey training across the summer and have trained over 100 people. Some were our project partners who will use the skills to survey for reptiles on their land and share their data with the project. Others are volunteers keen to support wildlife conservation in the UK. We are enormously grateful to those who have taken part so far and look forward to supporting you over the coming years. We will be running more of these training events next year so keep an eye on the ARC events page on the website from early 2022. Our Education and Events programme was similarly busy. We have led numerous walks and activity days across the summer and autumn to teach people all about our amazing reptiles and to gain support for their conservation. As part of my outreach work I recently met up with the team from Exotics Keeper magazine (www.exoticskeeper.com) to tell them about the UK's native snake and lizard species, their heathland habitat and ARC's efforts to conserve them. You can watch the finished video here: https://tinyurl.com/exoticskeepersSitH For now at least, it’s Sssmooth sssnake sssleepy time... To survive the winter here in the UK, reptiles will spend their time hibernating. They will choose a place underground that is dry, frost-free, and safe from predators. Unused mammal burrows are often a favourite retreat, but so too are the stumps of dead or rotten trees and root holes, or even in large grass tussocks. Suitable hibernation sites (known as hibernacula) tend to have a southerly aspect, and are usually in full or partial sun, whilst being on well-drained substrate. There is very little data on actual smooth snake hibernacula so we aren’t completely sure whether they hibernate alone or communally, and whether they group together with other reptile species. It is likely a combination of these, something we hope to find out over the coming years of reptile surveys undertaken as part of the project. Smooth snakes might be hibernating from November until the spring, but we certainly are not! It’ll be a packed winter for us: We are getting everything ready for a full-on season next year which will start with reptile survey training, ensuring partner staff and our Citizen Scientists have all the tools and knowledge needed to start the surveys as the reptile emerge. Our outreach programme is similarly busy. We are running regular volunteer days, some of which will be on weekends to make them accessible to families. See our Events page on the website for further details. Finally, I’ve been working really hard on the launch of ARC’s children’s story book, ‘In Search of Old Uncle Blue’. The book will be live on our online shop on December 1st and would make a great Christmas present! You can find out more on page 4. For more information on the SitH Project please visit https://www.arc-trust.org/snakes-in-the-heather Photo top left: Reptile survey training © Howard Inns (ARC). Middle right: Owain at Heath Week event © ARC. Bottom left: Sleepy smooth snake © Fred Holmes (ARC).
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Projects A rewarding year for Welsh reptiles By Pete Hill - Connecting the Dragons Project Officer ARC’s Connecting the Dragon Project Officer, Pete Hill fills us in on work the team has been doing for sand lizards and adders in Wales this year. Earlier on this year, the Connecting the Dragons team completed specialist sand lizard field skills survey training for volunteers. The training will mean that volunteers will be able to assist with monitoring some midWales sites at which we have successfully reintroduced sand lizards. Trainees being accredited on ARC's organisational survey licence, further develops their skills and contributes toward a better-informed understanding of our reintroduced populations of sand lizard in Wales, how they are faring, and spreading into and colonising new areas of habitat. Over the summer, fellow Connecting the Dragons officer, George and I have been mentoring these volunteers in the field. We were recently surveying a section of a Welsh sand dune at which ARC reintroduced sand lizards 12 years ago. The northern-most point of the dune is separated from the main dune, and is usually inaccessible due to it being fenced off for most of the season to enable plovers (short billed shorebirds) to nest undisturbed. Once the chicks had fledged, George, the volunteers and I were able to survey the area for the first time in ideal weather conditions. We are pleased to report that four hatchling sand lizards were recorded in the plover area, as well as another hatchling and an adult female elsewhere in the dunes. There were plenty of common lizards out and about also, as well as a female adder. These latest records demonstrate that the sand lizards have now colonised the site entirely. Another successful reintroduction!
Sand lizard hatchling © Pete Hill (ARC).
Alongside our ongoing work to improve the adder’s public image, we have been undertaking habitat management to benefit the local adder population and other reptiles at a National Nature Reserve comprising of a mosaic of habitats including grassland, marsh, woodland and dune in South Wales. Maintaining sun-lit edges and interfaces throughout the woody areas maintains connectivity for many smaller species and also enables reptiles to migrate seasonally within a site, whilst also providing opportunities to bask and forage. In late spring or early summer, female grass snakes that are gravid (carrying eggs) need to migrate toward a suitable location where their eggs will incubate successfully. There is a choice of options for a female grass snake to deposit her eggs within the area, and maintaining the sunny corridors and glades provides an essential network of safe migration routes throughout the habitat mosaic.
Grass snake © Nick Dobbs (ARC).
The cut timber and brash arisings resulting from the work are used to create brash piles. Creating brash piles within clearings and along sunny edges also increases essential structural diversity at ground level. The tangle of brash, logs, branches and twigs provide opportunities for solar-powered reptiles, providing safe refuge, microclimates for effective basking and also, an environment in which prey species can thrive.
Making sure that the rides, tracks, glades and clearings don’t become overgrown also enables a greater diversity of ground cover plants to flourish, particularly along sunny edges. The species-rich clearings and sunny edges provide a diverse range of microhabitats. Such sun-traps are sheltered from the wind and are utilised by a wide range of wildlife such as roosting dragonflies, birds and butterflies and enable a range of flowering plants to flourish and provide nectar for pollinators and also provides accessible nocturnal foraging routes for bat species.
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Next to benefit from habitat management will be great crested newts as the team will be pruning back around breeding ponds to ensure that enough vital sunlight continues to reach the ponds. The team will also be creating some new ponds. We will keep you updated with progress in the coming months!
Fundraising Legacies and Gifts In Memory By Atul Srivastava - Fundraising Coordinator Remembering ARC in your Will is a special way to support the future of amphibians and reptiles in the UK. Leaving a legacy gift will enable the Trust to continue its work to protect amphibians and reptiles for generations to come. A gift to us helps achieve our vision of a world where amphibians and reptiles are safeguarded, as well as the habitats on which they depend. Gifts in Memory are when families decide to honour the life of a lost loved one by suggesting donations in lieu of giving flowers. These gifts are a special gesture that help to further a cause close to the family or loved one. There are many ways this can be done. ARC’s own website offers a facility to create an online In Memory giving page. Setting this up is straightforward: simply create an account, if you don’t already have one, and follow the instructions for setting up your own donation page. Alternatively, you can now set up an In Memory page using ARC’s JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/
amphibianandreptile
Further details about Legacies and Gifts In Memory are available at: www.arc-trust.org/legacies Crooksbury Common © Ralph Connolly (ARC).
BH Coastal Lottery By Atul Srivastava - Fundraising Coordinator During the pandemic the popularity of local charity lotteries has increased rapidly across the UK, as face to face and events fundraising methods have become more challenging. Of course, players of charity lotteries also have the added motivation that they might win a prize! ARC is one of the charities benefitting from the BH Coastal Lottery, benefitting charities based in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Tickets for the lottery are £1 per week. When players select ARC as their chosen charity, we receive 50p for every £1 ticket sold. Other good causes in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area receive 10p per £1 via a Community Fund aimed at smaller charities. The remaining 40p goes towards prizes, admin and VAT. Each ticket has a 1 in 50 chance to win a prize each week, with a top prize of £25,000. You can find out more, and type in ‘Conservation’ to select ARC as your chosen charity, at: www.bhcoastallottery.co.uk 15
Events Fun for all at ARC Friend’s Week 2021! By Anju Sarpal - Outreach and Communications Manager Following a difficult year due to the COVID pandemic and lockdown we wanted to celebrate the support of our ARC Friends by offering five days of free in-person guided walks across Cumbria, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and Norfolk. Supporters joined ARC staff on some key nature reserves to learn more about the sites, the wildlife that calls them home and our work to conserve them. Our ARC Friends enjoyed a range of events, from getting involved in a live sand lizard release with Marwell Zoo and Forestry England, to collecting useful monitoring records at East Weavers Down. Visitors to Great Ovens managed to find smooth snakes using GPS to locate refugia and visitors Common lizards at East Weavers Down in Surrey © Howard to St Catherine’s Hill enjoyed a guided Inns (ARC) archaeological walk. ARC currently manages over 2000 hectares across 80 reserves. Land management has always been the core activity of ARC, focusing on the reptile rich counties of Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey, but now incorporating nature reserves nationally including important amphibian sites in Cumbria, Norfolk and north Wales. We consider the best way to conserve our native species is by managing important core areas of their UK distribution and using these as demonstration sites to influence the thoughts and actions of others. Initially concentrating on threatened lowland heathlands in the south, we are now active across a wider range of habitats across the country, including military ranges, golf clubs and national parks.
"I attended the Woodbury Common walk. It was brilliant. Learned a lot and enjoyed the place, the animals we saw, and the people. I hope that there will be future opportunities to do this again." Andrew - ARC Member
The majority of our work on these sites is carried out by our own experienced field teams who undertake a seasonal set of activities; primarily tree and scrub control during the winter followed by bracken control, site infrastructure maintenance and monitoring work during the warmer months. Although our primary focus is herpetological we have a range of skills and specialisms within our teams which reflect our aim of managing our sites for the full variety of wildlife present, including insects, birds and plant species, in many cases equally rare or threatened. Following the success of the week we aim to offer further walks for our supporters. It’s an opportunity to get to know reserves, ARC staff and mingle with our volunteers.
"I was thrilled to be allowed to join our partners from ARC and Forestry England, and to meet representatives from Marwell Wildlife for the lizard release in Puddletown Forest. It was a real treat to assist and to see so many sand lizards so close up. Hearing about the work being done within the project was fascinating and I look forward to following its progress. The Urban Heaths Partnership is constantly working towards protecting and enhancing our Dorset heathland habitats and the wildlife they sustain, so to be present at the culmination of so much hard work was very special and my heartfelt thanks to all involved. 16
Photo above: Heather Radice releasing a sand lizard © ARC
Heather Radice - Project Support Officer - Urban Heaths Partnership.
Events ARC/BHS Joint Scientific Meeting 2021 By Steve Allain - University of Kent PhD student When most people think of December, they think of advent calendars and whether or not it is finally socially acceptable to put up the Christmas tree. However, if you’re a herpetologist then December means something different entirely. It is the time of year when the ARC/British Herpetological Society Joint Scientific Meeting takes place. Despite its name, not everyone who attends is a scientist, so don’t worry about that if you’re planning on attending next year. Pre-pandemic the meeting would be held at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society, with tea breaks and lunch spent with delegates chatting whilst investigating the range of taxidermy that calls this institution home. Unfortunately, this year was the second time that the meeting had to be held online via Zoom. Despite this, there was an interesting range of talks on offer (as always) which covered topics as far apart as ARC’s update to the National Amphibian & Reptile Recording Programme to the provenance and invasion biology of geckos in Florida. Herpetology may not have the same level of interest from the populous as ornithology or mammalogy which is always a worry but the Joint Scientific Meeting is a great way to find out about projects that you never knew existed, some of which have been completed right under your nose. That’s one of the things I love most about the Joint Scientific Meeting, it is a place where two worlds collide. One of them is that of researchers, and the other is of enthusiasts. The talks are generally tailored so that anyone can understand them, no matter their background knowledge on the subject. One great example of this was Charlotte Ford’s talk on her research into Ranavirus, a pathogen known to infect fish, amphibians and reptiles. The particular aspect of Charlotte’s research she was highlighting was to do with Ranavirus detection in common frogs and common toads. To the uninitiated, this may seem like a daunting topic. Yet, my feeling was that it was perfectly explained so that everyone attending could understand. It always feels me with joy when researchers can effectively communicate their research with everyone. This does wonders to help enthuse the general public about Great crested newt © Chris Dresh (ARC). nature, as well as helping them to understand the importance of such research. Something I’m sure many people miss about such meetings, are having conversations while resting their lunch on a cabinet stuffed with a great auk, or having a curry the night before. These occasions are a great way for everyone to interact, and for new students to get to know the community they have just joined. Hopefully things will return to normal next year, as conferences aren’t the same without that potential for social interaction and networking. Fingers crossed, I may even see you there too!
Common frogs © Chris Dresh (ARC).
Adder © Chris Dresh (ARC).
Photo top right: Great crested newt. Dr Andy Buxton spoke about Great crested newt eDNA pond occupancy and sampling error rates. Bottom Left: Adder. ARC survey volunteer Nick Dobbs gave a presentation on his study of urban adders. Above: Common frogs. Charlotte Ford told delegates 17 about Detecting ranaviruses in UK native amphibian species.
Species Profile Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) Oblong-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia) Appearance/Colour Flat rosette shaped plants. Red stalks and leaves no larger than 2.5 cms in diameter with lime green or yellow centres. Each leaf has a multitude of red hair-like tendrils, long at the edges and reducing in length towards the centre. Each tendril is tipped by a droplet, like dew, which glistens in the sunlight giving these plants their common name. Round-leaved sundew and oblong-leaved sundew can be differentiated by leaf shape. Up to 20cms in height. Flowers June - August producing white or pink flowers on long red stems. Round-leaved sundew © Neal Armour-Chelu (ARC).
Behaviour Insectivorous plants. On contact with the plant, insects become ensnared as the tiny hairs bend around the victim to trap it. The leaf then curls around the insect. The dew drops on the leaves act as digestive juices that dissolve soft parts of the insect’s body before being absorbed by the plant . Small insects are frequently trapped as they lack the power to escape. Sometimes, insects as large as butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies are caught and devoured.
Oblong-leaved sundew in flower © Rob Free (ARC).
Oblong-leaved sundew © Ben Limburn (ARC).
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Sundew growing amongst sphagnum moss © Chris Dresh (ARC).
Habitat/Where to find them Common in the wetter north and west of the UK. Uncommon across southern England but widespread throughout the New Forest. Heathland, wetland and moorland - present on a number of ARC reserves. Small bare patches of wet mud and the edges of well used tracks where it won’t get overwhelmed by grasses. In and around the edges of boggy or swampy ground. The rarest species, the great sundew (Drosera anglica), grows in very wet areas in the middle of the bogs.
Tail-Enders The eyes have it! The amphibian edition
Can you guess which amphibian is giving you the eyeball below?
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Trickier than the reptiles I’m sure you will agree! Here are some cryptic clues to assist you. 1. I try to follow the green cross code but sometimes I need some assistance. 2. I’m so great that ARC decided to use me as their logo! 3. I’m frequently ‘spotted’ in garden ponds. 4. My great grandparents had stories of European overseas travel! 5. ‘Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!’ 6. I change my footwear in the spring. The ladies seem to like it!
7. If you are struggling to speak, I hope you don’t have one of these in your throat!
Answers in the next issue of Hop Gossip!
Answers to last issue’s reptile eye quiz! Did you guess correctly?
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Smooth snake
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Slow-worm
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Sand lizard
Grass snake
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Common lizard
Adder
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Amphibian and Reptile Conservation is a national wildlife charity striving for a world where amphibians and reptiles are safeguarded for future generations. With over 30 years experience in the wildlife sector we are committed to the conservation of frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards and the habitats on which they depend.
To find out more or to support Amphibian and Reptile Conservation contact: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 744 Christchurch Road Boscombe Bournemouth Dorset BH7 6BZ Tel: Email:
01202 391319 enquiries@arc-trust.org
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Join online: www.arc-trust.org/Appeal/join Or call 01202 391319 (9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday)
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation is a Registered Charity: England & Wales number 1130188. Scotland number SC044097.
