Clyde Amphibian and Reptile Group

17/08/2026

For National Allotment week ( ) we are celebrating the wonderful compost heaps at allotments across the country.

Simple wooden frame compost heaps are fantastic for our species – slow worms live there and grass snakes lay their eggs.

Amphibians like damp areas of compost bins and enjoy the invertebrate food supply.

17/08/2026

New paper on managing disease risks, featuring ARC's long-running sand lizard reintroduction programme.
The research highlights the complexities of reintroductions and the importance of understanding and managing disease risks in conservation programmes.

Read the paper here: https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s10393-026-01832-3?sharing_token=FMNTpZOBcv80HVORPF4Snfe4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY72gArmrV6g1yKn4DGx9NNrovPAJUGUWNL_hp7psEUO6ulpNGMAoHuLH1d78jZt0um-RlIUMVxkWK6BT46GR3FUEKcFSAOlHN6iauPPQrwRzF8pmJAuFRkOR91axttC0wg%3D

Photo: Jim Foster/ARC - Sand lizard being carefully examined.

14/08/2026

Reserve Warden Clare's favourite reptile is the Slow Worm.

This legless lizard is often mistaken for a snake. Slow worms have ears, eyelids and drop their tail when threatened which are all lizard characteristics and things snakes do not have or do.

This one had to be moved by Clare so it wasn't squashed when it was found in the middle of a busy pathway and refused to move!

14/08/2026

14/08/2026

14/08/2026

Happy !

the UK is home to three native species of lizard?

- Common lizard – our most widespread native lizard, found in habitats ranging from heathland and woodland edges to grasslands and coastal areas.

- Sand lizard – a rare and striking species. Males develop vivid green colouring along their sides during the breeding season. Today, sand lizards have a restricted distribution in the UK and are specially protected.

- Slow worm – despite its snake-like appearance, the slow worm is actually a legless lizard! Look closely and there are clues to its identity, including eyelids that can blink.

All three are an important part of the UK’s wildlife. This World Lizard Day, let’s celebrate the remarkable reptiles living right here on our doorstep.

Have you spotted any of our native lizards this year?

14/08/2026

After months of extreme heat, drought conditions and increasing reports of wildlife in distress, many ecologists and environmental managers may find themselves facing a difficult question: when is it appropriate to intervene? 🦎🦇

In this blog, Sally Hayns CEcol FCIEEM explores the legal and professional considerations around rescuing protected species that are at imminent risk of death, and how to ensure your actions are both defensible and in the best interests of wildlife.

📖 Read the blog: https://cieem.net/wildlife-in-peril-knowing-the-law/

10/08/2026

Watch how a simple garden pond transforms into a thriving haven for wildlife!

From its first splash of water to a fully established wildlife pond, this video showcases the amazing species that come to visit. We hope it inspires you to create your own: https://ow.ly/JTJq50ZwZKT

Find tips in our Guide: https://ow.ly/HqXs50ZwZKS

🎥 Footage & photos: Ashlea Mawby
🚁 Drone footage: Darren Starkey
🎬 Edited by: Andrew Wood

10/08/2026

07/08/2026

Forests are thinning, rivers are drying, wildlife is vanishing. We’re losing clean air, safe water, and the green spaces we rely on. And yet, the European laws that have been safeguarding our nature are being quietly dismantled – under the false promise of “simplification”.

👊 Simply put: Our nature is under attack.

We cannot let this happen.
👇
handsoffnature.eu/take-action/

🤝 The UK may not be a part of the European Union any more but we can continue to influence and show our support to European partners, family and friends by taking a stand, and taking action.

✅ By completing one simple action today you can help give nature a voice. Sign and tell the polluting industries and their political allies .
👇
handsoffnature.eu/take-action/

📝 Sign and share the petition now to stand up for nature.
BirdLife Europe and Central Asia ClientEarth WWF European Environmental Bureau - EEB