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As
well as our land-based amphibians and reptiles, the UK also plays host to a number of those most armoured
of reptiles, the marine
turtles. Five of the world’s seven sea turtles have been found in the
seas off northwest Europe, including the Leatherback, Loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley, Green (whose
frantic mating struggles were filmed in Life in Cold Blood) and possibly
the globally threatened Hawksbill. These
sea-based reptiles are protected from killing and injury in the same way
that many of our native land-based amphibians and reptiles are. |
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Most
common by far in our waters is the Leatherback, named because of its
unusual mosaic-like carapace which is unique among turtles. Like all
amphibians and reptiles, their 'Cold Blooded' label is perhaps
questionable. To a degree, they are
able to conserve their own warmth by holding onto heat created by their
muscles, a process assisted by their sheer bulkiness (almost 3 metres nose
to tail!) – indeed it’s thought that a similar mechanism was one reason
for the enormous size of the dinosaurs. Leatherbacks
are seasonal visitors to UK waters with peak sightings between July and October when sea temperatures
are warmest. Sadly most encounters with these species are stranded
individuals found on beaches, often after sustaining injury through nets
or boat propellers.
And
the rest…
You’d
be forgiven for thinking that this wraps it up for UK in Cold Blood: we have 13 land-based amphibians and reptiles and one marine turtle, all
of which have been covered on these Deliberate
and accidental introductions have occurred at a number of sites in the UK
over the years. Some of these introductions have led to animals breeding
and spreading. Other populations still exist in tiny pockets, often
limited to ponds, fields or even gardens. Of
the amphibians there are six ‘aliens’ found in the UK: the green frog
(a complex genetic mish-mash of Edible Frog, Marsh Frog and Pool Frog);
Midwife Toad and African Clawed Toad; and the Alpine Newt and Italian
Crested Newt. Of
the reptiles there is the Green Lizard, the Wall Lizard (both native to
the Channel Islands) and the
Aesculapian Snake. Other
occasional breeders include pet escapees like the Red-eared Terrapin,
Garter Snake and the North American Bullfrog.
High-flyers
For
a group of species that are unable to fly, amphibians and reptiles get
around a fair bit via air-travel, with African Clawed Frogs and North
American Bullfrogs turning up in many countries across the world. These
introductions bring twin threats: that of outcompetition with native
species (think grey squirrels vs red squirrels) and that of disease. Of
concern recently has been the spread of a fungal disease worldwide which has
dramatically reduced some amphibian populations, in worst cases leading
them to extinction.
Next
- Epilogue: Froglife in Cold Blood.
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Marine
Conservation Society urges anyone who walks or works on UK beaches to look
out for stranded turtles and immediately report them to the RSPCA on 08705
555999 or to Marine Environmental Monitoring (MEM) on 01348 875000. MCS
also carries out international marine turtle conservation work: For more
information see 
If you are unsure of what species of amphibian or reptile you have spotted, you can
send a photo to Froglife who will help you identify the animal, and pass
the record onto 
