Amphibian and Reptile
Groups of the UK
Photo © Angela Julian
ARG UK promotes the conservation of our native amphibians and reptiles and their environment by promoting and supporting the development of a network of independent Amphibian and Reptile Groups (ARGs).
You can help our native amphibians and reptiles by getting involved with one of the 60+ independent volunteer ARGs in the UK.
Affiliated groups benefit from our insurance scheme, local groups websites, advice notes and fundraising support.
We provide online recording through the Record Pool to help capture herpetofauna data from across the UK.
We produce fun downloads for kids and their parents and teachers, and other useful resources.
Basking spots
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Vanishing Viper 2019: A European approach to developing an adder conservation strategy
Download the full article here: Many volunteer adder surveyors are reporting seeing fewer adders (Vipera berus) on study sites, and concerns have been expressed that adder declines may be widespread, and even affecting the sustainability of national adder populations, particularly in England. This pessimistic…Read more: Vanishing Viper 2019: A European approach to developing an adder conservation strategy
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Creating grass snake egg-laying heaps – the ‘RAVON Recipe’
Over the past few years RAVON our herpetological colleagues in the Netherlands, have been developing their conservation programme for the native grass snake (Natrix helvetica). This programme has included specific habitat management for grass snakes, to enhance their breeding success and thereby increase the sustainability of…Read more: Creating grass snake egg-laying heaps – the ‘RAVON Recipe’
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Look out for toad fly this summer
With apologies for the distressing image! As the summer progresses, we are getting reports of common toads, affected by a parasitic blow fly or ‘toad fly’. Although there are over 1,000 species of blowfly worldwide, and a number of other species of Luciliahave been associated…
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Adders are amazing! Resource Pack - Pecyn Adnoddau Gwiberod Gwych!
Our Adders are Amazing Resource packs are now available to download in English and Cymraeg:
Adders are Amazing! Resource Pack Pecyn Adnoddau Gwiberod Gwych! We can also post out special packs containing all 24 activity sheets in a handy folder - these are available for just…Read more: Adders are amazing! Resource Pack - Pecyn Adnoddau Gwiberod Gwych!
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Keeping everyone safe - Our adder code 'Stop, Step Back and Smile'
At this time of year, you may see adders basking in the open, particularly along coastal paths where there is heathland (heather and gorse), or in sand dunes, and on sunny south facing slopes. Adders are very timid and are in real danger of becoming…Read more: Keeping everyone safe - Our adder code 'Stop, Step Back and Smile'
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Atlas of the Amphibians & Reptiles of Warwickshire (Vice County 38 Records) up to 2018
We pleased to announce the launch of the 'Atlas of the Amphibians & Reptiles of Warwickshire - Vice County 38 Records up to 2018'. WART is a voluntary group that works in partnership with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) and is affiliated to the Amphibian and Reptile…Read more: Atlas of the Amphibians & Reptiles of Warwickshire (Vice County 38 Records) up to 2018
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Wildlife conservation charity urges private amphibian traders to prevent Bsal fungus from infecting wild populations
The good news is the UK’s wild newt populations seem to be free from a flesh-eating lethal fungus known to be prevalent in privately-owned amphibians across Western Europe, a nationwide investigation has found. The full paper can be downloaded here However, scientists from international conservation…
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Press Release: First study of national adder population trends reveals adders are facing near extinction in Britain
The adder could all but disappear from the UK countryside by 2032, according to new research conducted with the help of citizen scientists. Download the full press release here The findings, published in The Herpetological Journal, are the culmination of 11 years of nationwide monitoring…
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ARG UK - Annual Review 2018-19
We presented the annual review for ARG UK with a summary of the ARG activity survey for 2018-19, at the ARG UK Annual General Meeting which was held on Saturday 9th February 2019 at the Best Western Plus Stoke on Trent Moat House, Etruria Hall, Festival Way, Stoke-on-Trent ST1…
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Madeleine's Patch - 100% support from ARG UK
A legacy of a joy for nature - In Memorium to Madeleine Parnwell
In 2018 Steve Parnwell of Cambridge and Peterborough ARG, brought us the sad news of the tragic loss of his wife in a road accident, one night a few weeks before Christmas of…
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Kids' stickers and fun fact sheets
ARGUK is delighted to partner with the artist Mabel Harris to create a vibrant new range of stickers, fun fact and colouring sheets for our budding young herpetologists. These are perfect for events and other herp-themed activities. We are delighted to be able to offer a range of…
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- Projects & surveys
Make the Adder Count in 2019
Welcome to Make the Adder Count 2019. Started in 2005, this long-running survey aims to encourage springtime counts of adders, with the objectives of informing local conservation projects/interests and gathering a long-term surveillance dataset. Thank you to all the volunteers who have returned their data from…
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Toads on Roads - Toad Patrolling for ARGs
Toadsare normally solitary creatures, but during the spring period, from early February through to early April (depending on weather variables), they will join with hundreds of other toads to migrate to their ancestral breeding ponds, crossing anything in their path. Sometimes this involves crossing busy…
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Adders are Amazing!
This exciting new project, led by our Pembrokeshire Adder Coordinator, Sam Langdon, is delivering the ‘community engagement’ aspect of a wider programme to prevent this iconic, but vulnerable native snake from slipping into extinction in large parts of England and Wales. The project has taken…
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Bsal - a deadly new newt disease on our doorstep!
Chytridiomycosis (Chytrid) has been responsible for mass mortalities of amphibians with declines and extinctions on six continents, including Europe. Until recently, most pathogenic outbreaks of Chytrid were associated with the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). However, since 2013 a newly described species B. salamandrivorans ( =…Read more: Bsal - a deadly new newt disease on our doorstep!
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Latest Updates on GCN licensing reforms
UPDATE 22 March 2019 Issued by Natural England in March 2019 - Guidance for works carried out under great crested newt district level licensingThis annex contains guidance for developers acting under a GCN District Level Licence (‘the Licence’) authorising activities affecting great crested newts Triturus…
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The Adder Campaign
NEWS - New Publication: Make the Adder Count: population trends from a citizen science survey of UK adders Concern has been growing about the status of UK adder populations, with expert opinion reporting widespread declines. Assessing the true scale of these declines, however, has been hampered by a…
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Chris Packham's - A People's Manifesto for Wildlife
On Saturday 22 September we joined with our wider wildlife community in Hyde Park to hear more about Chris Packham’s new ‘A People’s Manifesto for Wildlife’, and march to Downing Street to deliver it to the seat of Government. Chris has mobilised the biggest peaceful…Read more: Chris Packham's - A People's Manifesto for Wildlife
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Amphibians and Reptiles in Leicestershire and Rutland: A Review (2018)
by Andrew Heaton, County Recorder for Amphibians and Reptiles, LARN The LARN (Leicestershire & Rutland, Amphibian and Reptile Network) network have been working in partnership with those with an interest and enthusiasm for the amphibians and reptiles of the two counties to produce a review…Read more: Amphibians and Reptiles in Leicestershire and Rutland: A Review (2018)
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Revised Advice note 4 - Amphibian Disease Precautions, A Guide for UK Fieldworkers
We are delighted to be able to launch the newly revised version of "Advice note 4 - Amphibian Disease Precautions, A Guide for UK Fieldworkers", which is published in March 2017. This important resource for amphibian fieldworkers and trainers has been comprehensively revised in partnership…Read more: Revised Advice note 4 - Amphibian Disease Precautions, A Guide for UK Fieldworkers
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Snake fungal disease identified in wild British snakes for first time
Europe’s wild snakes could face a growing threat from a fungal skin disease that has contributed to wild snake deaths in North America, according to an international collaborative study, led by conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London) alongside partners including the U.S. Geological…Read more: Snake fungal disease identified in wild British snakes for first time
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