Adders are the fastest declining reptile species in Britain and we’re doing our bit to understand and help these beautiful and elusive creatures by coordinating an annual spring survey.
The survey was initiated by the Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme in 2022 after a long period without regular monitoring. Each year, new volunteers join a team of ‘spotters’ who walk the hills (slowly!) hoping to catch sight of adders as they leave their winter hibernaculum and bask in the spring sunshine.
The Reptile & Amphibian Group for Somerset provide expert guidance and training and gather together the sightings data to help map the state of the population on the hills.
If you’d like to get involved in next year’s survey, please get in touch – [email protected]
[Photos: Dawn Mahoney and Jon Barratt]