reptiles

What our animals are doing this month

August 1, 2024 by Admin

Written by Eve Goddard, Transforming Lives Trainee

Gills in, venture out!

As August hits, our newt larvae, which have been aquatic until now, absorb their gills and head out onto land to begin the next stage of life as an eft or ‘newtlet’.

Their diet will change from chydorids, daphniids and cyclopoid copepods (that’s water fleas and tiny crustaceans to you and me!) to terrestrial invertebrates such as worms and slugs.

They will take shelter under warm, damp logs, stones and paving slabs.

The weather will play a big part in their success at this stage. If it has been too hot and seasonal ponds have dried early, larvae may not have developed enough to leave the ponds and will perish.

However, the annual drying of seasonal ponds provides an advantage for our newt friends long term, as whilst adults can remain on land, aquatic predators such as fish will be predated and ducks will move on.

Hop into Summer!

August falls into the period when froglets and toadlets will absorb their tails and leave the pond for the first time to reach dry land. They will often leave en masse as there’s safety in numbers!

The young will be around 1cm long and will shelter around ponds and damp areas trying to keep cool in the summer heat. Being largely nocturnal, they will be active at night and avoid daytime temperatures. They feed on small flies, insects and worms.

Reptile Egg-stravaganza!

August is the time when UK reptiles begin to be born.

Grass snakes begin to hatch from their eggs. The eggs will have been laid in rotting vegetation where neonates (hatchlings) can keep warm before they are ready to explore. Neonates are adept swimmers and will feed on small fish and amphibians.

Common lizards incubate their eggs internally (known as ‘ovoviviparity’) and will now give birth to up to 11 young. The young can be predated by birds and domestic cats. Their secret defence is shedding their still-moving tail in the case of an attack.

Juvenile common lizards love the August sunshine and will be found in open dry, sunny spaces with dense cover nearby.

World Snake Day

July 1, 2024 by Admin

Written by Eve Goddard, Transforming Lives Trainee

16^th July is World Snake Day, we at Froglife already hold a great appreciation for our serpent friends, but why is a global day required and what are its goals?

Snakes are an ancient reptile, records show they have existed for at least 100 Million years. There are 3,900 known species of snake worldwide, where they inhabit every continent except Antarctica.

It’s easy to imagine that a fanged, forked tongue creature that moved without limbs would have captured the imaginations of early humans. In many cultures they were worshipped as gods, in more recent history and popular culture they have been vilified, think Garden of Eden, Medusa, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Anaconda, Snakes on a Plane. As the human population grows and the snakes’ habitats shrink it is now more important than ever to find a way to live side by side.

World Snake Day aims to shine a light on this and has three key goals:

To highlight how snakes help our ecosystems

It’s a surprisingly little known fact that snakes sit in the middle of food chains, not only do they eat a wide variety of small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and insects but are predated upon by birds of prey, hedgehogs, other snakes, owls and badgers to name a few. So their conservation supports entire ecosystems and helps endangered species.

Change the perception

Snakes are feared for their threat to humans, but less than a sixth of the 3,900 species are venomous and less than 200 species are able to kill a human. With education we can help identify those that pose no risk and live harmoniously with those that do. It is only the snake that can provide us anti-venom for snake bites after all!

To promote the conservation of snakes

Snakes are persecuted for their skin – used to make bags and shoes, they are also hunted as pests or for sport. Despite having adapted to a variety of terrestrial and aquatic environments, human habitat destruction and the effects of climate change mean many species are now endangered and are in need of our support.

How will you get involved this World Snake Day?

Raise awareness about our non-venomous snakes – post an image of one on your social media with the message that they pose no risk!

Do you know someone who has a soft spot for badgers, hedgehogs or owls? Let them know snakes provide an important food source for these species.

You could brush up on your UK snake knowledge here. And remember, if you do spot any when you are out and about, record them on our free Dragon Finder app

What our animals are doing this month…

July 1, 2024 by Admin

Written by Emma Byrne, Transforming Lives Trainee

July is a month full of activity for our reptile and amphibian friends! This month, let’s take a closer look at the UK’s only species of legless lizard, the slow worm, and see what they’re up to throughout this warm, summer month…

Slow worms emerge from hibernation in late March, with breeding taking place in April and May. The gestation period is around 11 – 14 weeks, so from July until September, slow worms are giving birth! They are ovoviviparous, which means that females incubate their eggs internally. The eggs hatch inside the slow worm’s body, and the young stay there living off the yolk of their egg. The female will then go on to give birth to between eight and twelve live young. Hatchlings are born still wrapped in their embryonic membranes, which burst open to reveal tiny slow worms, little more than four centimeters long. They can be identified by their gold or silver backs with a black stripe down the middle, a black dot on their head and glossy black sides.

If you hope to spot a slow worm, here are a few helpful tips:

Head out at dusk as this is when slow worms tend to be most active hunting for food.
Make a beeline for open woods, damp heaths, rough grassland and grassland and meadows with hedges and scrub.
If you prefer to stay closer to home – take a look in your garden. Be sure to keep a close eye on your compost heap, as slow worms like to use the warmth to heat up their bodies!
If you’re unsure whether you have a found a slow worm or a small snake, remember unlike snakes, slow worms have eyelids, small ear openings, their tail is detachable and they have notched tongues as opposed to forked tongues.

Always remember to record your amphibian and reptile sightings on our FREE Dragon Finder app.

What our animals are doing this month

June 1, 2024 by Admin

Written by Charles Bonnett, Transforming Lives Trainee

Summer is Coming!

Summer is arriving! As June has the greatest number of daylight hours during the year and is often one of the warmer months, this can be an enticing time for reptiles.

Reptiles are ectothermic (cold-blooded), and so they rely primarily on external sources of heat to regulate and maintain their body temperatures. Rocks and stones absorb heat from the sun, on which reptiles can bask to control their body temperature. Rotting vegetation is also an attractive proposition, as the associated decomposition process produces much-desired heat as a by-product. Prolific vegetation growth accompanying early summer attracts a wealth of insects and small mammals, and hence prospective prey. June, therefore, represents a potentially fruitful period for our reptiles.

Some reptiles have also begun laying their eggs or incubating their young internally during this period,

supported by the summer’s warmth. Reptiles employ one of three primary modes of reproduction: Oviparity, viviparity, and ovoviviparity. Oviparous reptiles, such as grass snakes and sand lizards, lay eggs containing all the necessary nutrients for embryo development. Viviparous reptiles, represented in the UK by common lizards, incubate embryos internally within their bodies; these embryos derive nutrients and oxygen from the parent. Ovoviviparity combines characteristics of both, where embryos develop in eggs that are incubated within the body of the parent until they hatch internally, after which a live juvenile is born. Slow worms, adders and smooth snakes are all ovoviviparous.

As you bask in the summer sun, you may also catch a glimpse of a reptile! Don’t forget to record any sightings on our free Dragon Finder App!

Invasive Species Week: 20th-26th May 2024

May 9, 2024 by Admin

Many people are unaware that alongside climate change and habitat loss, another major threat to species biodiversity is the increase in the number of non-native, invasive species appearing around the world.

Non-native species often appear through accidental transport or by the release of pets, but they rarely survive or come into contact with con-specifics to establish a colony. If they do come into contact with others of the same species and reproduce, the outcome tends to be a small localised colony, held in place by geographical, environmental, predatory or climate barriers.

In some cases a non-native species may not have those checks or controls in place and takes the opportunity to exploit a new niche or out-compete an existing species resulting in an invasive species becoming established and often taken for granted as a national species such as the grey squirrel, Canada goose, marsh frog or the three-cornered leek.

There are currently believed to be over 3000 non-native species living in the UK; and this graph from the JNCC shows the recent rapid increase in invasive non-native species.

A species is considered ‘invasive’ if it has the ability to spread and damage the environment, the economy, our health or the way we live. Invasives can have a significant impact as predators, competitors (for food or breeding sites) or can carry disease that impacts our native species. In 2023 the Government published a new UK invasive species strategy. Part of the strategy includes ‘horizon scanning’- the ability to look at potential ‘invasives’ that could be a problem were they to reach the UK, or that are already present and could become a problem as a result of climate change or other environmental changes.

Some species are significant risks and are considered to be GB ‘alert’ species with a request to record and notify whenever sighted; the Asian hornet, a predator of native bee colonies is one such species along with the American bullfrog.

The Non-Native Species Information Portal (NNSIP) provides access to distribution data as well as additional information such as place or origin, date of introduction and methods of introduction. It also provides much more detailed information on 300 species, including information on identification, impacts and control methods.

During Invasive Species Week we want to raise awareness of invasive species of reptiles and amphibians and see if we can increase our information by gathering records of non-native as well as native species using our Dragon Finder App. You can download the app for free here.

All data from the Dragon Finder App is shared with the National Biodiversity Network Atlas.

Susceptible Smooth Snake

May 1, 2024 by Admin

Written by Rachel Coyle, Project Officer

17^th May is Endangered Species Day. This gives us an opportunity to shed some light on species that are facing decline.

The smooth snake is one of only three native snake species in the UK. Unfortunately, it’s numbers are drastically reducing, and it is now considered one of Britain’s rarest animals.

Smooth snakes face threats from predators including birds of prey, foxes, badgers, and weasels. However, the main threat is a result of habitat loss.

This species can only be found on some lowland heaths in Southern England. Heathland is typically made up of heathers, wildflowers and grasses which can survive the acidic soil. The landscape provides smooth snakes with warmth, cover, and a rich food supply.

Lowland heath size has been drastically reduced due to pressure from housing development and construction. Fires, farming, and an increase of human use for leisure activities have also impacted the habitat. As the habitat decreases in size, the smooth snake has decreased in numbers.

Unfortunately, smooth snakes are not a particularly mobile species and, even when close but fragmented sites have good populations, they do not re-colonise well.

The survival of the smooth snake depends on whether their habitats can be preserved. Reassuringly, some southern lowland heaths have become areas of preservation. A few areas have been designated as special nature reserves which are now carefully managed. The heathland requires human intervention to stop it developing into woodland and losing the vital characteristics smooth snakes rely on.

Species reintroduction has also been documented in Devon. Although, the key to successful reintroduction of smooth snakes will rely on the quality of the heaths themselves.

It is hoped that ongoing interventions will ensure the survival of this shy reptile and we will see an increase in smooth snake numbers.

reptiles

Gills in, venture out!

Hop into Summer!

Reptile Egg-stravaganza!

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