The rough guide to reptile mitigation....

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

 Scale wrote:

 GemmaJF wrote:

Just as a further note Natrix intercepts 

can be very hit and miss as the population is often 

transient, with luck though juveniles will? usually show 

reasonably quickly if present.

Absolutely.

Would it not be useful (as previously suggested) to get 

some up to date consultancy guidelines. From what i 

gather many county ecologists still follow the Froglife 

guidelines and veto ecological reports to that effect.

Fglf guidelines perhaps allow for too few refugia bedding 

in days (as a minimum) and seem to neglect the months of 

March and October as viable survey periods!

I've just had a look on some of the top google hit 

consultancies' websites and their survey calenders 

generally exclude March and October, running instead from 

April to September? 

I

Absolutely 

agree about your comment re he consultancies that use the FrogLife Guidance. I've been reading some reptile reports from other consultancies and horrified to see that they are using this system. What i find annoying as well, is the ecologist who worked on the survey don't put any info on known records of reptiles. I think that there are some who don't even do a desktop study. I think that this is a prerequisite (if I can use that word) to obtain basic information about the area even before you even start putting refugia down.

Totally agree with Gemma's comments though re the ticking of boxes to ensure that reptiles are not present. Whoever undertakes a reptile survey should have enough experience to do the job and that includes knowing the right conditions and how to undertake an adequate survey in the first place. Maybe it is time that more training was made available to the consultancies concerned, but to do this would cost money and in our current financial climate, i don't think it would be a possible.

By the way, anyone seen any adders yet? I've started looking on a more casual basis, rather than for work but seen nothing yet. I also do reptile surveys for landowners and as part of NARRS because like you, I love reptiles. They are a challenging group of species to survey - which is probably why I love doing them. 