Page 115 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #10

OURWILD WORLD

WORKING FOR NATURE

StevenAllain

Amphibian and reptile surveys, Cambridgeshire

All over the Herpetologist Steven is

world devoted on a mission to improve
habitats for reptiles
individuals are and amphibians.
doing their bit

by volunteering
to be involved

with wildlife.
Jo Price meets

Cambridgeshire’s
online amphibian

and reptile

records veriier.

S teven has been volunteering for the S Myproudest Despite amphibians How you
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Amphibian and and reptiles being can help...
Reptile Group (CPARG) for five and a half years. He momentwas active only between
will soon start his PhD on snake fungal disease in grass locatingthe February and October, Three projects you
snakes but still finds time to survey amphibians and the CPARG chairman can get involved in:
reptiles, organise outreach events, train new volunteers population is busy all year. “When HerpMapper
and provide wildlife advice to local people. ateryears they’re hibernating, I’m Create and keep
“Aside from monitoring a number of populations arranging volunteer days records of your
over a long period of time, our ongoing major project of hearsay. T to improve habitats in amphibian and reptile
is to study the non-native midwife toad in Cambridge,” woodland, grassland and observations with this
he explains. “My proudest moment as a volunteer was ponds for them to breed app (iOS and Android).
locating the population after three years of hearsay.” in when they emerge. A herpmapper.org
Working with local residents, the herpetologist number of improvements we made last year benefitted
gained access to gardens to survey the species and swab species like the great crested newt and common lizard.” ARC Trust
individuals for chytrid disease: “Luckily none of the Aside from gaining localised recognition for his work TheAmphibianand
toads have yet tested positive but our fear is that they and providing surveying equipment for CPARG, Steven ReptileConservation
may pass the disease onto our native amphibians.” has published more than 12 scientific papers on his Trustneedhelpto
Steven mainly works within Cambridge and the volunteering work in the county with more to follow. managetheirreserves,
surrounding area: “Unfortunately, the county is pretty In addition to his current responsibilities, he will surveywildlifeand
devoid of reptiles (except for grass snakes) but that soon start conducting reptile surveys for the British educatethepublic.
doesn’t stop us trying our best to conserve the few Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in Norfolk. “No matter arc-trust.org/
populations that we do have,” he says. “These animals where I find myself in the future I’ll be spending some volunteering
have suffered major declines since the 1950s due to of my time helping wildlife,” he says. “We all have a
loss of habitat and intensive agricultural practices.” moral obligation to look after the planet we have found Froglife
The naturalist has always been passionate about ourselves hurtling through space on.” Inspireyoungpeopleby
cold-blooded creatures. “They are a major part of many takingpartinFroglife’s
Charles Best ecosystems and provide us with a number of services, CPARG or visit Steven's blog at cparg.wordpress.com GreenPathwaysproject
including pest control,” he explains. “We would
orjoinaToadPatrol.
FIND OUT MORE CPARG: groups.arguk.org/
certainly notice if they all disappeared.”
froglife.org
October 2018 BBC Wildlife 115