Reptile Habitat Guide

This photo-guide is intended to serve as a reference aid for NARRS surveyors participating in the National Reptile Survey. Key things to consider when assessing habitat suitability for reptiles:

• Vegetation structure – ideal reptile habitat has a variable structure with a mixture of vegetation heights, tangled or thorny areas, mosaics, bare patches, lots of edges (‘ecotones’) and good basking places.

• Extent – must be big enough area to support a population. Small habitat patches can be sufficient for lizards, whereas snakes need larger areas (although grass snakes can cross unsuitable habitat).

• Aspect – sunny, sheltered locations, unshaded, south-facing • Topography - undulating topography, banks, hummocks, hollows, south-facing slopes;

generally not north-facing slopes. • Connectivity – essential to allow colonisation when habitat is created, and recolonisation

after local extinctions. For example, if an area of good habitat is surrounded by intensive arable farmland, reptiles might not be able to colonise it.

• History – habitat that has been recently created might look deceptively good, but it takes time for reptiles to colonise, and there must be connectivity with neighbouring areas where they are present.

Reptiles are most widely distributed on large areas of habitat such as heathland, moorland, rough grassland, and sand dunes, but they are often present locally in a range of other land covers. Ideal land covers may include railways and disused railway lines, roadside embankments and verges, churchyards/cemeteries, allotments, derelict/brownfield areas, neglected/overgrown land, rough pasture, scrubland, quarries, ‘wasteland’, woodland glades and forest rides. Localised features and the right vegetation structure are important. Look out for are areas of scrub, long grass, tussocky grass, gorse, bramble, dense herbage, canal and riverbanks, undulating topography, banks, hollows, varied height structure, uneven edges, vegetation mosaics, brash piles, log piles, manure/compost heaps, rubble/rubbish, footpath and track edges, field edges, hedgerows, boundary banks, stone walls, moss/lichen patches, bare ground patches. (Always keep health and safety in mind when surveying. Take particular care on roadsides and uneven ground, and do not enter railway land). The following pages show some examples of good reptile habitat. Photos by Jon Cranfield & Chris Gleed-Owen. Compiled by The Herpetological Conservation Trust, with financial support from Natural England. © The HCT 2007

Moorland & heathland – good for all reptiles Heather moorland mosaic

Rough grass alongside footpath Tussocky grass – good for slow-worms

Tussocky grass Rank grass in woodland glade/ride

Tussocky grass & moorland Rough grassy bank

Bramble & grass junction Derelict and brownfield land

Roadside verge (take great care) Long grass on river bank

‘Lush’ rough grass – ideal for slow-worms Hedgerow margin

Tussocky grass Tussocky grass with bramble & scrub patches

Tussocky grass with bramble & scrub patches Tussocky grass with bramble & scrub patches

Rough grass & bramble along field margin Rough grass & hedge along field margin

Tussocky grass and bramble Tussocky grass and bramble thickets

Roadside verge contrasting with grazed pasture Tussocky grass and bramble thickets

Marshy riparian habitats; good for grass snakes Log pile

Coastal sand dunes – good for lizards and adders Coastal sand dunes

Field margins & hedgerows – important corridors Dead bracken on heathland

Clear-felled forest Compost heaps & brash piles – good for grass

snakes

Lowland heathland Lowland heathland

South-facing grassy & brambly bank Manure heap & rotting hay bales

Molinia tussocks on heathland Boundary bank

Gorse along path edge; good for common lizards Rank grass & brambles; good for grass snakes

Rank grass & scrub mosaic Riparian grass & scrub; good for grass snakes

Roadside scrub; good despite short grass Rocky slope with herb cover

Rank grass & patchy bracken Scrub and rank grass along stone wall

Patchy scrub and grass Gorse scrub along footpath

Gorse scrub margin Bramble thicket

Set-aside field margin - could become good for slow-worms and grass snakes?

Scrub along farm track edge

Coastal cliff grassland Coastal field margin

Molinia tussocks in heathland Heathland bog; potentially good in summer

Woodland edge with margin of good habitat Coniferous glades or rides; often good habitat

Allotments – good if left overgrown in places Railway (good but do not attempt to survey!)