Quantock Adder Day - Identification and Survey Training Day

This event is a great opportunity to learn about the adder and be part of the Quantock Adder Survey, as well as contribute to a new national project led by University of Chester.

The training is led by Kevin Palmer, lecturer in Conservation Biology at University of Chester, and the surveying will be supported by John Dickson of The Reptile and Amphibian Group for Somerset (RAGS. You will learn about adder ecology, adder conservation work on the Quantocks and how you can help these endangered animals.

The morning session will run from 10am to 12 noon in the Music Room at Fyne Court, Broomfield. PLEASE NOTE this is a Pay & Display car park, free to National Trust members.

After lunch we’ll drive onto the hills to see if we can find some adders*.

Bring a packed lunch and water for the afternoon walk. Hot drinks provided in the morning session.

It may be cold, so wear warm clothing and sturdy boots. Bring binoculars if you have them.

*Adders are a protected species and therefore you will never be asked to handle them.

PLEASE NOTE: registration for this event closes on 20th February, so book your place soon!

More info:

This is a great opportunity to learn a new skill and meet like-minded wildlife lovers. After the training, we’ll discuss how you can get involved in the ongoing survey work which was begun by the Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme and is being taken forward by the Friends of the Quantocks. You could also become a registered volunteer for the national survey project.

Adders

The Adder is a conservation priority species in the UK. Concern has been growing among reptile experts for decades that our native Adder populations are in decline. Nationwide surveys have, unfortunately, been able to confirm that our Adders are in serious trouble.

This is not just bad for adders. Adders are an indicator species. If adders are in serious decline, this suggests many other species that depend on the same habitats are likely to be suffering too. As well as habitat loss, public pressure through disturbance seems to be a key factor in the decline of adder populations. One of these recent surveys found that:

"Almost half of the adder sites surveyed reported public pressure through disturbance as negatively affecting their adders. This ranged from people inadvertently trampling vegetation, to off-lead dogs disturbing the adders and people getting too close trying to photograph them. We know that there are some sites were adders live perfectly happily alongside people, so we really need more research to assess the impacts of disturbance on adders and identify what conditions are needed to allow both adders and people to enjoy the same spaces together.”

Friends of the Quantocks is a conservation charity dedicated to the Quantock Hills area of Somerset, its habitats and wildlife. Help us make a difference by becoming a Friend - www.friendsofthequantocks.org/membership/

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