Finding reptiles and amphibians at The Deneway

Sophie Atkinson

Youth Action Officer

At The Deneway, the Youth Rangers regularly find Smooth Newts and Slow Worms, but so far there hasn’t been a system in place to properly survey the populations of reptiles and amphibians on the reserve. Therefore, they have plotted out a reptile mat transect, consisting of 12 reptile mats distributed throughout the reserve.

The reptile mats are made from corrugated metal or roofing felt, which absorb heat on sunny days and provide the perfect place for ectothermic animals (an animal that relies on its external environment to regulate its body temperature) to warm up. The hope is that the mats will yield regular visits from Slow Worms, Smooth Newts, and maybe even Grass Snakes or Common Lizards.

The Youth Rangers will be checking the reptile mats and recording what they find, which will help us to understand how the reptiles and amphibians are using different areas of the reserve, and whether their populations are changing over time in response to the conservation work we are doing there.