Reptiles

Species Action Plan	

“The gardeners employed at villas close to the metropolis 
occasionally raise an alarm, and profess to have seen a viper in the shrubberies...” (Jefferies, 1893).

1.	Aims
•	To protect and conserve the native reptile populations of Greater London.
•	To save the adder from its imminent extinction in Greater London.
•	To promote wider awareness of reptile conservation in Greater London.

2.	Introduction
The common lizard Lacerta vivipara, slow-worm Anguis fragilis (a legless lizard) and two snakes, the grass snake Natrix natrix and adder Vipera berus, all occur in Greater London. Whilst the lizards and grass snake are still fairly widespread, adders are exceedingly rare in London, and are found at only a handful of sites.
Being cold-blooded, reptiles need warm sites for basking to raise their body temperature. The open, dry nature of heathlands and chalk and acid grasslands often provide these basking areas, as well as plenty of cover and food, and are the habitats with which most reptiles are commonly associated. The exception is the grass snake, which has more affinity with wetland habitats.
British reptiles are inactive between mid-October and March, hibernating below ground in disused mammal burrows, inside buried stonework, deep within grass tussocks or among tree roots. On emergence from hibernation in the spring, they can often be seen basking in the open. Slow-worms and common lizards live mostly on invertebrates – insects, spiders and small slugs and snails. The two snakes hunt by stealth, preying on amphibians, small mammals and even their smaller reptilian cousins.
People sometimes see adders as a threat, as they are the only venomous snake in Britain. However, bites to humans are extremely uncommon. Our use and abuse of the places where adders occur presents a far greater threat to them than they pose to us.

3.	Current Status
Adder Adders are now very rare in Greater London, although they are more frequent in some of the surrounding counties. The places where adders are known to still occur in London may be counted on one hand, and their numbers at all of these are worryingly low. Their rapid decline heralds imminent extinction locally unless conservation action is quickly put into effect. This plan does not identify their remaining sites because of the continued threat of persecution of snakes by misguided individuals.
Grass Snake Grass snakes are locally common in many outer London boroughs, but populations are declining as a result of habitat fragmentation and loss of wetland sites to development. This, our largest snake, is easily identified by its yellow collar, which is a prominent feature even in hatchlings. Being highly mobile, grass snakes are possibly over-recorded and can turn up almost anywhere, but may be found typically in undisturbed habitats in river corridors. In gardens they are often seen around ponds, preying on frogs and toads, and in compost heaps where they seek the warmth of the decaying plant matter to incubate their eggs.
Common Lizard Common lizards are widespread across the Capital, mainly occurring in outer London boroughs. Isolated populations may occur in more central locations, especially along potential wildlife corridors such as railway embankments.
Slow-worm Slow-worms are also widespread in London but similarly concentrated in the outer London boroughs. Isolated populations are found on inner London sites where suitable habitats exist. Slow worm and common lizard often occur on railsides and road verges, allotments, wasteland or ‘brownfield’ sites and in private gardens where grass has been allowed to grow long. 

4.	Specific Factors Affecting the Species
4.1	Loss of suitable habitat and changes in land use
Development and unsympathetic land management has reduced the amount of habitat available for reptiles. This has been especially true for adders. Essentially, reptiles require habitat with good structural diversity, which provides basking areas, adequate feeding opportunities and hibernation sites. These features are often reduced through intensive mowing, over-grazing, burning (accidental or deliberate), or intensive recreational use.
4.2	 Isolation of populations
Reptile populations have become isolated from one another as well as from areas of habitat which they could potentially colonise. Isolation occurs through fragmentation of suitable habitats by the creation of barriers that reptiles cannot cross. These include such obvious physical barriers as major roads or urban development, but can also comprise more subtle barriers such as ploughed fields or expanses of short mown grass. It is likely that isolated populations will gradually decline through inbreeding and susceptibility to disease, predation or persecution. Isolated populations in urban areas may be particularly vulnerable to predators such as cats and crows.
4.3	Persecution
Snakes have long been persecuted. Their ‘poisonous’ reputation sustains an enduring media image portraying all snakes as villainous and lethal predators of man. The adder, grass snake and slow-worm (which is often mistaken for a snake) suffer from this negative image.
Although the intentional killing or injury of any native reptile is illegal, persecution may still be a significant cause of decline for many reptile species in London, particularly the adder.
4.4	Liability
Some land mangers have been known to over-react to concerns for public safety and the potential danger to domestic pets from adder bites. Consequent action to remove the perceived threat by destroying suitable reptile habitat, and/or illegal killing, may have contributed to local declines in adder populations (and possibly grass snakes and slow-worms where these have been mis-identified as adders). Conservation action combined with a careful campaign aimed at raising awareness of their dire status could serve to improve the public image of the adder and snakes in general.

5	Current Action
5.1	Legal status
All British reptiles are protected to various degrees by the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended). London’s reptiles are protected from intentional killing and injury, selling or other forms of trade. Damage to their habitats is not specifically referred to as a prohibited action. However, as it may be argued that premeditated habitat destruction would amount to an intentional attempt to kill or injure any resident reptiles; their immediate habitat at least, is protected indirectly by the Act. 
Many important reptile habitats are protected by virtue of their status as a statutory Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or Local or National Nature Reserve (LNR, NNR). Others are safeguarded from inappropriate development through designation as a non-statutory Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).
5.2	Mechanisms targeting the species
These current actions are ongoing. They need to be supported and continued in addition to the new action listed under Section 6.
5.2.1	Planning guidance
The presence of protected species (including all native reptiles) is a material consideration which must be addressed by local planning authorities when considering a development proposal which would be likely to result in harm to a species or its habitat.
5.2.2	Awareness-raising and survey
The London, Essex and Hertfordshire Amphibian and Reptile Trust (LEHART), Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG) and Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group (KRAG) undertake surveys, provide advice on habitat management, and promote reptile conservation in London. They maintain databases of site records. 
Other organisations such as the London Wildlife Trust, Froglife and English Nature produce information notes and leaflets about reptiles and their conservation. Recent public awareness campaigns to 'Be Kind To Snakes' have attempted to change the image of reptiles, and popular interest is slowly growing.

6.	Objectives, Actions and Targets
Most of these actions are specific to this species. However, there are other, broader actions that apply generically to a number of habitats and species. These are located in a separate ‘Generic Action’ section, which should be read in conjunction with this document. There are generic actions for Site Management, Habitat Protection, Species Protection, Ecological Monitoring, Biological Records, Communications and Funding.
Please note that the partners identified in the tables are those that have been involved in the process of forming the plan. It is not an exclusive list and new partners are both welcomed and needed. The leads identified are responsible for co-ordinating the actions – but are not necessarily implementers.

Objectives, Actions and Targets

Objective 1	Update knowledge of reptiles in London and make available for conservation purposes
Target: Establish a comprehensive dataset of reptiles in London by 2007

Action	Target Date	Lead	Other Partners	
1.1 Using existing adder records to identify priority sites where surveys should be undertaken	2002
achieved	LEHART	KRAG, SARG, LWT, site managers	
1.2 Undertake reptile surveys on these sites
	
By 2005
achieved
	EN	LEHART, KRAG, SARG, EARG, site managers	
1.3 Include reptile tick-box (or other, as appropriate) in public surveys of garden biodiversity. 	
Annual	EN	LWT, Boroughs, Private Gardens HAP	
1.4 Publish a Herpetofauna Atlas for Greater London. 	2007	LEHART	KRAG, EARG, SARG, EN	
1.5 Determine extent of adder    populations on known sites	2005	        EN	Working Group, Site Managers	
1.6 New action: Identify, populate and promote a central database for reptiles records in London	2007	EN	London Records Centre, Working Group	
1.7 New action: continue to survey possible adder sites on an ‘as and when’ basis	Annual	          Working Group	Site Managers, EN	

Objective 2:	To promote reptile conservation to landowners, land managers and the general public
Target: Produce and disseminate reptile conservation advice by 2007

Action	Target Date	Lead	Other Partners	
2.1 Produce advice note on reptile conservation issues for planners and developers.  	2003
Achieved	GLA
	EN, LEHART, KRAG, SARG, HCT	
2.2 Produce habitat management ‘best practice’ guidelines for site managers	2007	LEHART	KRAG, SARG, EN, EARG, HCT, GLA	
2.3 Update and reproduce existing leaflets on reptiles for general public (e.g Wildlife Facts and LEHART’s Species Fact sheets)	2003
Achieved	EN	LWT, LEHART	
2.4 New action: Poster survey campaign to generate records and improve public image of reptiles
	2007	Froglife 	LWT, Working Group, LAs	
2.5 New action: Training seminar on reptile conservation for site managers	2005	EN	KRAG; SARG; EARG; Froglife; HCT; LEHART	
2.6 New action: Produce LBAP species statement for adders in London	2006	GLA	Working Group	

Objective 3:  To maintain a viable adder population in London
Target: To ensure management is in place to maintain viable adder   populations by 2007 

Action	Target Date	Lead	Other Partners	
3.1 New action: Produce management briefs for all extant populations	2006	        EN	Site Managers and Working Group	
3.2 Secure implementation of management briefs	2007	        EN	Site Managers and Working Group	

Relevant Action Plans
London Plans
Heathland; Chalk Grassland; Wasteland; Acid Grassland; Churchyards and Cemeteries; Railway Linesides, Ponds, Lakes & Reservoirs; Private Gardens.
National Plans
Lowland Heathland; Lowland Dry Acid Grassland; Lowland Calcareous Grassland. 

Key References
English Nature (1991). Facts about reptiles.
Froglife (1998). Adders in Amphibian and Reptile Group Casework (notes produced for the Herpetofauna Groups of Britain and Ireland).
Froglife (1995). Snakes Need Friends - Advice Sheet 2.
Froglife (1995). Conserving Grass Snakes - Advice Sheet 6.
Jefferies, R (1893). Nature Near London.
JNCC (1998). Herpetofauna Worker's Manual.
Langton, T (1991). Distribution and status of reptiles and amphibians in the London Area. The London Naturalist 70:97-123. LNHS.
Langton, T (1989). Snakes and Lizards. Whittet Books, London.

Abbreviations
EN – English Nature
GLA – Greater London Authority
HCT - Herpetofauna Conservation Trust
LA – Local Authorities
LEHART - London, Essex and Hertfordshire Amphibian and Reptile Trust	LNHS – London Natural History Society 
LWT – London Wildlife Trust
KRAG – Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group
SARG – Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group

Contact
The Lead for this action plan is English Nature.
Rachel Cook
English Nature
Devon House
12-15 Dartmouth Street, Queen’s Anne’s Gate
London SW1H 9BL	Tel  020 7340 4870
email Rachel.Cook@english-nature.org.uk
web www.english-nature.org.uk