http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/ Ecological and Environmental - News, Events and Discussion http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/great-success-at-the-50-pond-challenge/ Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 The 50 Pond Challenge took place this weekend with great success at the Nevendon Washland private nature reserve in Essex. A team of 30 volunteers constructed 50 ponds in just 24 hours (in fact the first 44 took just 6 and a half hours to dig!). The event was organised by Pond Conservation and ARG UK (Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK) in conjunction with Herpetologic Ltd. The event was designed to bring interested people together to demonstrate how clean water ponds can be created to provide… http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/bbc-live-n-deadly-deadly-day-out1/ Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Jon Cranfield attended the BBC 'Deadly Day Out' at Lydiard Park, Swindon this weekend (18th September) on behalf of the British Herpetological Society. These roadshows are running around the country, aimed at giving children aged 6-12 a chance to find out more about the natural world - and trying out adventure activities – all for free. It was a roaring success with 10,000 children and their parents waiting patiently to see their heroes from the CBBC Live 'n' Deadly programme - presenters… http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/natural-england-reptile-mitigation-guidelines/ Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Last week, Natural England published a new set of Reptile Mitigation Guidelines for ecological consultants, available as a PDF from their website (TIN102, published 9/9/2011). The guidelines cover the six native species of terrestrial reptiles in England and are intended to also be of use to developers, Natural England staff, local planning authorities and volunteers. Development may often result in adverse consequences for reptiles, as well as breaches of legislation.… http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/introducing...-louise-cranfield/ Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Herpetologic Ltd has a new member of staff. Louise Cranfield works part time as office manager, responsible for finance, project management and maintaining the website! She joins the company after deciding not to return to her former career in local government IT, following maternity leave, making Herpetologic Ltd very much a family business!  http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/reptile-habitat-management-handbook2/ Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Amphibian and Reptile Conservation has produced the Reptile Habitat Management Handbook, aimed at those managing, or advising on, sites where reptiles occur.  Copies are available to ARGs on request from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.  The handbook will also be available at the various conferences over the winter.  You can download the handbook, as a series of pdf documents, from the Resources section of the ARC website.   http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/wildguides-publication/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100 This detailed guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands has been produced with the aim of inspiring an increased level of interest in these exciting and fascinating animals. It is designed to help anyone who finds a lizard, snake, turtle, tortoise, terrapin, frog, toad or newt to identify it with confidence. The book features: Stunning photography. An easy-to-use approach to identification. Superbly illustrated introductory sections on the biology and conservation,… http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/great-crested-newt-hsi/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100 An Advice Note on the use of the Great Crested Newt Habitat Suitability Index is now available to download. This document was produced as an output from a workshop held at the Herpetofauna Workers' Meeting way back in 2007. It may be subject to future amendments, but the current draft is a useful working document. http://www.herpetologic.co.uk/news/article/go-ahead-for-biffawards-ponds/ Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100 The go-ahead has just been given for a series of pond creation projects, to be funded by Biffaward, as part of the Million Ponds Project.  £202,654 from Biffaward will see 366 ponds created on 63 sites.  All these projects will benefit BAP species associated with ponds.  The figures for herps are: 158 ponds targeting common toad 22 ponds targeting natterjack toad 179 ponds targeting great crested newt 111 ponds targeting grass snake Of course, many other species will also…