By Amy Downward
SNAKES may be on the decline in Britain – but they are alive and well in North Lincolnshire.
Adders and grass snake populations are under threat across Britain as climate change affects their habitats and targets of prey.
But while the sound of hissing in summer fields may seem to be rarer as time goes by, a wildlife expert says snakes are continuing to thrive in North Lincolnshire.
And according to the RSPB, they can be seen in areas such as Barton, Messingham and Crowle.
Mike Pilsworth, RSPB Humber sites warden, said: "We have a reasonable number of them in the area but, as with most wildlife, they have suffered decline due to the draining of ponds and removal of habitat.
"However there is a good population of grass snakes and adders in North Lincolnshire."
Mystery surrounds the reason why snake levels in our area are holding up.
But number-crunchers say they have no idea how many snakes there are – either in North Lincolnshire or in Britain itself.
Grass snakes are more commonly seen in the south of England, but are clearly doing well in this region.
Adders – the country's only venomous snake – are also easy to spot – with a bit of detective work.
"They can be quite common in certain areas," said Mr Pilsworth.
He said grass snakes preferred habitats that had areas of rough grass land with pools and ponds nearby.
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