Annual General Meeting followed by an illustrated talk: The Rare Reptiles and Amphibians on the Heaths around Haslemere

Speaker: Rob Free (Amphibian and Reptile Conservation)

Rob Free from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation introduced us to our native amphibians and reptiles. We have 7 species of amphibians and 6 species of reptiles. The amphibians consist of 3 newts (Great Crested Newts, Palmate Newts and Smooth Newts) and 2 types of frogs (Northern Pool Frog, Common Frog) and 2 types of toads (Common Toad and Natterjack Toad).

Interestingly the Northern Pool Frog has only recently been classified as native with the classification being based on fossil records!

There are reintroduction programmes for our rare reptiles and amphibians, including Northern Pool Frog (previously ‘rare’ to the extent of being extinct in the UK), Natterjack Toads, Sand Lizards and Smooth Snakes.

Our local Sand Lizards are considered a distinct ‘race’ and so a local breeding programme is necessary to provide creatures for reintroduction, either to new sites or to sites previously damaged by wild fires.

All of our reptiles enjoy living in lowland heath with Smooth Snakes being restricted totally to that habitat. Some 80% of lowland heath has been lost over the last 200 years.

As Climate Change brings us ever more droughts, with increased chances of wild fires, this precious habitat, lowland heath, will be in increasing danger, and yet there is such a variety of wildlife that benefits from, or is dependent upon it.