Page 56 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #02

AGENDA NEWS

Q EXPERT BRIEFING
CONSERVATION

INSIGHT

ADDER

BRITAIN’S ONLY VENOMOUS
SNAKE IS DECLINING BUT INCREASED
AWARENESS CAN TURN ITS FORTUNES
AROUND, SAYS JIM FOSTER.

hough adders appear to lizards, and occasionally
be widespread across nestling birds and amphibians.
TGreat Britain and are There are a number of reasons
found from Cornwall to north- why adders are declining. Loss of
east Scotland, the truth is they habitat is one factor, but adder
are rare or absent in many habitat also deteriorates where it
areas of the country, and have is unmanaged because it
disappeared entirely from becomes too shaded, and
whole counties, including problems develop if
Adder: Jason Steel; map from Britain’s Reptiles and Amphibians by Howard Inns (Princeton WILDGuides)
Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire it is overgrazed or ADDER
and Warwickshire. subjected to ` HABITAT
Globally, they have a huge extensive burning.
range, and are found right across Disturbance, DETERIORATES
Europe and Asia, as far north as predation by cats and WHERE IT IS
the Arctic Circle and as far east as pheasants (the birds
Russia’s Pacific coast. They live in are known to kill UNMANAGED
a variety of habitats, including young adders) – IT BECOMES
s
heathland, acid and chalk and genetic
grassland, open woodland, impoverishment TOO SHADED.”
moorland, mire and coastal areas. may all be
South-west Scotland and coastal issues too.
South Wales have large areas of The situation can be turned
good adder habitat. around, but we need to act
They require open areas quickly. Greater awareness is
receiving sunlight for basking, needed (including in the
vegetation that provides shelter conservation sector), plus better
overnight and for winter data on the factors affecting them.
hibernation and a healthy Where habitat enhancement
supply of prey, mainly small work is done – such as at the
mammals (voles) and common Amphibians and Reptile
Conservation Trust’s Town
Adders have Common reserve in Dorset –
been recently
recorded they do well. It would also help
if negative public attitudes
Within species’

range but few and misconceptions could
recent records
be corrected.
No adders
JIM FOSTER is the conservation
director of the Amphibian and Reptile
Conservation Trust ( (ARC). ) Snake in the grass:
the secretive nature
+ FIND OUT MORE of the adder and
its camouflaged
ARC adder fact file: markings often means
Xxxxxx www.arc-trust.org/adder that it goes unnoticed.
56 BBC Wildlife February 2018