Adders are facing near extinction in Britain according to study of national adder population trends

March 5, 2019, University of Reading

The adder could all but disappear from the UK countryside by 2032, according to new research conducted with the help of citizen scientists.

The findings, published in the Herpetological Journal, are the culmination of 11 years of nationwide monitoring and showed that 90 percent of adder populations surveyed were declining. Experts warn that, if these trends continue, within just 10-20 years adders could be restricted to just a handful of sites in the UK.

The adder is a conservation priority species in the UK. Although concern has been growing among reptile experts for decades that our native adder populations are in decline, this study is the first time that national adder population trends have been measured, and the data confirm that our adders are in serious trouble.

The data were collected by Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK (ARG UK) through the 'Make the Adder Count' project, a citizen science survey to monitor adder populations across the UK, which was set up in 2005. Each spring, volunteer surveyors visit their local adder sites to count the numbers of animals, in order to assess whether populations are changing. Dr. Emma Gardner, a researcher from the University of Reading, has analysed the first 11 years of monitoring data.

"Our analysis shows that 90 percent of the sites surveyed have small populations and on average these small populations are declining." said Dr. Gardner. "When surveyors visit these sites, they typically record less than 10 adders. Only 10 percent of sites have large populations, which seem to be doing ok. If these trends continue, within 10-20 years, adders will be restricted to just a few sites in the UK, significantly increasing the extinction risk for this priority species in Britain."

This is not just bad for adders. Adders are an indicator species. If adders are in serious decline, this suggests many other species who depend on the same habitats are likely to be suffering too. So why are so many adder populations in decline and what can we do about it? The study also identified key threats currently affecting the adder sites. Top of the list was public pressure through disturbance.

"Almost half of the adder sites surveyed reported public pressure through disturbance as negatively affecting their adders." said Dr. Gardner. "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.

Read more at: 

Adders now active all year with warmer UK weather

Shorter hibernation period may accelerate demise of Britain’s only venomous snake

Nicholas Milton

Wed 6 Mar 2019 06.30 GMT

The adder, Britain’s only venomous snake, has for the first time been confirmed as being active in every month of the year.

Adders normally hibernate underground from October to March, a strategy designed to enable them to survive a cold winter, but with warmer weather have now been seen throughout the year.

They are declining as a result of increasing habitat loss, persecution, predation, disturbance and inbreeding. A shorter hibernation period and becoming more active in winter is likely to accelerate their demise, as snakes will be much more susceptible to any cold weather that follows a warm spell.

Following the record warm temperatures in February, adders have been seen in every calendar month. While the adder is well adapted to cold weather, occurring further north in the world than any other snake species, this is new behaviour and experts warn it is a clear sign of the impact climate change is having on wildlife.

Nigel Hand, a trustee of Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK and one of the country’s leading adder experts, confirmed the trend.

Continued

Can we save the adder from extinction in middle England?

The decline of the adder is one of the great conservation crises of our age, but it’s not too late to save it

“It is the bright day that brings forth the Adder. And that craves wary walking,” wrote Shakespeare in Julius Caesar. But if he was alive today, the bard would no longer have to be wary of walking on an adder as it has disappeared from his home county of Warwickshire and now faces extinction across the whole of middle of England in the next 5 years.

The decline of the adder is one of the great conservation crises of our age. As well as Warwickshire it is now thought to be extinct in Nottinghamshire and is on the verge of extinction in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Greater London. The unprecedented rain and flooding which we have experienced this year and controversially the spread of buzzards could just be what pushes the species over the edge.

Continued

Adder study to monitor inbreeding in isolated population

Sunderland researchers' genetic study into adder abnormalities

March 2012. Researchers want to find out if decreasing numbers of adders in the North East has led to inbreeding among colonies of the UK's only venomous snake.

The University of Sunderland has teamed up with Durham Wildlife Trust and Durham County Council to carry out a genetic survey of the adder population in geographically isolated areas of west Durham, testing DNA samples to reveal how much genetic diversity there is among the adder population.

Are adders suffering from inbreeding?
This is the first survey of its kind in this region, and is a result of growing concerns that adders are at risk as their numbers decline through loss of natural habitat and breeding grounds.

Skin & dead snakes being studied
Samples of the adders' skins are being collected over the next several weeks, as the snakes emerge from hibernation and start shedding. Dead snakes are also being analysed in the laboratories at the university, checking for markers which suggest inbreeding has taken place.

Isolated populations
Dr Noel Carter, a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology, said: "The adder project highlights a growing concern for wildlife in the UK, maintaining genetic diversity in isolated populations.

"With our research we hope to generate some preliminary data for substantial research, with a view to protecting this species for generations to come before they become dangerously inbred.

"While genetic surveys of adder populations have taken place in other areas of the UK, this is the first in the North East, looking initially at the Durham area, amid fears that dwindling populations will lead to inbreeding depression, a condition that could cause problems such as mutations from missing eyes to deformed spines, to adders being born dead."

Researchers will compare DNA samples in the university's new multi-million pound Sciences Complex, to see if the smaller clan groups are genetically impoverished.

If the levels of inbreeding can be pinpointed by researchers, results will strengthen the case for better protection off adder populations, by enhancing key areas through the linkage of habitats using landscape scale conservation, and by identifying hibernacula areas thus guiding proactive "best practice" management conservation.

As well as adders, if the project shows success, Dr Carter says the research may extend to other wildlife species considered ‘at risk', such as the water vole.

Durham Wildlife Trust experts will simultaneously conduct a number of surveys at different locations assessing the potential for "adder inbreeding depression" by determining the extent of inward and outward migration of adders (especially males) between sites through "capture mark and release".

Sarah Edwards, Heart of Durham project officer for Durham Wildlife Trust, said: "These dwindling numbers are very worrying and with the university's help we are trying to assess whether there is a lack of genetic diversity. This project is essential to establish suitable ‘Best Practice' methodology for future monitoring through the training of volunteers to carry out surveys and to record these findings on regional and national data bases, and to raise the profile of the adder and increase awareness of adder conservation issues.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/adder-inbreeding.html

Adder disappearance in Nottinghamshire 'very worrying'

Wildlife experts fear that the adder may be extinct in Nottinghamshire after another annual survey failed to find any evidence of the reptile.

The last confirmed sighting of the venomous snake in the county was in Sherwood Forest in 2005.

Nick Crouch, a conservationist, said its disappearance was "very worrying" as the species was a key indicator of the health of the food chain.

The wildlife expect has appealed for the public to report any sightings.

'Bit of a mystery'
Mr Crouch, a nature conservation leader for Nottinghamshire County Council, said the species was once quite widespread across Sherwood.

Adders are in rapid decline in the UK and experts put this mainly down to habitat loss and disturbance.

"These snakes require areas of heathland and woodland," Mr Crouch said.

Read more here ...

Experts DNA test England's adders to help halt decline

28 March 2011

Ecologists are running DNA tests on adders to check their genetic diversity amid fears the UK's only venomous snake is vanishing from the wild.

A recent study found that numbers of the reptile had declined since 2007.

Conservationists believe inbreeding in small, isolated populations could lead to a further decrease in numbers.

Experts from Natural England, the Zoological Society of London and Oxford University are taking swabs from the reptiles at 16 sites across England.

Ecologist Nigel Hand has already carried out health checks and collected DNA samples from five snakes at a Surrey Wildlife Trust site and 27 adders from an area in Norfolk.

Once captured, the reptiles are placed in a plastic tube to measure their length and protect the handler from their bite.

A swab is taken and they are marked before they are released back into the wild.

The DNA is then analysed to see whether larger or smaller populations have different levels of genetic variety.

Jim Foster, of Natural England, said: "With around a third of adder populations now restricted to isolated pockets of habitat, and with only a handful of snakes per sites, they could be especially vulnerable."

It is estimated that there are 1,000 populations of adder in the country with some groups made up of fewer than 10 adults.

Mr Foster said the tests would also help them understand why some adders had been found with abnormalities including malformed scales and missing eyes.

He added: "In the longer term, the last resort option is whether we should move animals between populations, artificially encouraging them to mix."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12878563

Adders, toads and lizards are disappearing from UK

Wednesday, 9 March 2011
By Emma Brennand
Earth News reporter

The native adder is effectively disappearing from our landscape, a study has revealed.

The first nationwide survey of UK amphibian and reptiles has found that Britain's most widespread snake, the adder, is in decline.

Slow worms, common lizards and grass snakes are also becoming less widespread, as are the common toad, common frog and the great crested newt.

The only species found to be increasing its range is the palmate newt.

These startling trends come from a report produced by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust, which has been gathering data on 12 species since 2007.

The trust's National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) has presented its interim findings, which cover the first half of the six-year survey period from 2007 to 2012.

The full survey aims to establish baselines for widespread species - figures against which future status changes can be assessed.

The survey focuses on widespread amphibian and reptile population. These include the great crested, smooth and palmate newts, common toad and frog, common lizard, slow-worm, grass snake and adder, as well as the wall and green lizards and agile frog in Jersey.

The rarest species, such as the great crested newt, already have high levels of protection, but it is strongly suspected that some formerly common species now in decline.

For this reason, the UK government passed legislation in 2007 prioritising the protection of common toads and all UK reptiles.

But this survey suggests that their numbers continue to fall.

Out of approximately 250 square kilometres surveyed, adders were found in about 20.

"Though we suspected that adders were getting much less common, it is very alarming that they turn up in only 7% of reptile surveys nationally," Dr John Wilkinson, Research and Monitoring Officer for the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, told BBC News.

"Adder occupancy is poor everywhere, making them our rarest widespread reptile by far and in need of serious conservation attention."

Historically, it was believed that adders were most at risk from persecution - people killing the snakes because they are venomous. But the ARC Trust say that their decline may also be caused by development and disturbance.

Under threat

Other widespread amphibians and reptiles also appear to be in trouble.

"There is no single trend as different species are sensitive to different issues," explained Dr Wilkinson.

"Broadly, though, our reptiles and amphibians are doing poorly and adders in particular."

Common frogs are becoming less common in the south of England, particularly in areas which have experienced the most development in recent decades.

And, in the same area of England, the common toad is only half as widespread as the common frog.

"Great crested newts may be much rarer in Scotland than we thought - they haven't turned up in any of our NARRS surveys [there]," said Dr Wilkinson.

Common lizards, thought to occur throughout the UK, were seen rarely in the north and central regions, including Wales. Slow-worms were also found to be scarce in these areas.

Dr Wilkinson believes that this may be because these leg-less lizards are more difficult to find, as they burrow in undergrowth. So a reduced number of sightings may not necessarily reflect a decrease in their population.

Acid-lover

Surprisingly, palmate newt numbers are higher than expected, which might indicate changes in the quality of Britain's ponds.

Unlike many other amphibian species, these small newts thrive in acidic pools that are formed through acid rain fall or agricultural run-off.

The main drive of amphibian and reptile decline is thought to be habitat fragmentation and development.

Conservationists say this is a particular problem for toads, which are more sensitive than frogs to changes in habitat.

The final NARRS report is due to be published in Spring 2014.

See video at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9405000/9405801.stm
(Submitted by Liz R.)

Jail Snake

A PRISON inmate was bitten by an adder after an invasion of the venomous snakes, it was revealed yesterday.

An ambulance with two paramedics raced to treat the shocked 30-year-old.
The baby adder had sank its fangs into his hand in the grounds of HMP The Verne in Dorset. He later told officers that he thought it was a slow worm - until he saw its mother coming at him. The con, serving five years for fraud and drug offences, recovered fully in the jail's medical centre. It was believed that adders, Britain's only venomous snake, have been climbing the sloped walls to bask in the sunshine.

Bosses have put up signs warning the 600 inmates: "Due to warm weather, snakes are falling from the ramparts into the prison. If you see one, do not approach but alert staff." A prison insider said: "A bite by an adder is not fatal for a normal, healthy human being. "But it is extremely painful and requires immediate medical attention."

Another source added: "There's enough snakes in here without them falling from the walls."
The Prison Service said: "A prisoner at HMP The Verne was bitten by an adder on Friday, June 18. He was treated in the healthcare centre."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3030573/A-prison-inmate-was-bitten-by-an-adder-after-an-invasion-of-the-venomous-snakes.html#ixzz0s3UL52ZV