REPTILE SURVEY SERVICES FROM EXPERIENCED ECOLOGISTS

Native reptile species in the UK are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Grass snake, common lizard and slow worm are partially protected under UK law. It is an offence to deliberately kill or injure them.

Slow worm

There are six native species of reptiles found in the UK:

  • Sand lizard

  • Grass snake

  • British slow worm

  • Common lizard

  • Adder

  • Smooth snake

Reptile Survey Stages

  • Visual search of site looking for habitat, reptile refugia & signs of reptiles

  • Mitigation phase

    (Habitat clearance or full offsite reptile translocation - What is this?)

  • If sand lizard or smooth snake are found, a licence may be required.

For more information call: 01865 893346 or email hello@ecologybydesign.co.uk

Ecology by Design can provide the following services & mitigation:

  • Sand lizard survey

  • Grass snake survey

  • Slow worm survey

  • Smooth snake survey

  • Adder survey

  • Common lizard survey

Mitigation services from Ecology by Design

  • Surveys and mitigation for reptiles is fairly common and Ecology by Design have extensive experience of large scale surveys, mitigation including creation of bespoke receptor sites.

  • The usual ‘trigger’ for a reptile survey requirement is a request from your planning consultant, architect or the local authority so it can be submitted with a planning application. Reptile surveys may also be recommended as the result of an ecological scoping survey or preliminary ecological appraisal.

  • Reptile translocation involves moving the reptiles away from site, relocating to a receptor site as close as possible, of similar size and quality.

To learn more about reptile surveys, our ecology experts have created a comprehensive guide on ‘What is a Reptile Survey?’ .

For more information call: 01865 893346 or check out our Case Studies

DO I NEED A REPTILE SURVEY?

All native British are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

It is illegal to intentionally kill or injure any native British reptile species.

The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) are European Protected Species and receive additional protection under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010.

As well as the legal protection above, they are additionally protected against disturbance and damage or destruction of their habitats.

WHAT DO WE DO?

A reptile survey involves:

  • Survey to identify presence of reptiles on site

  • Mitigation efforts, if reptile habitat is discovered

HOW LONG DO SURVEYS TAKE?

  • Reptile surveys normally take up to eight visits to complete (one to setup and then seven to check for reptiles).

  • During each visit the refugia are carefully checked and any reptiles identified (in some areas of the country up to 20 survey visits are required to adequately estimate a population size).

  • Reptile surveys can be undertaken between April and September, although surveys can be impacted by extreme high and low temperatures so surveys in July and August are sometimes suboptimal.

LICENCE APPLICATION AND MITIGATION

If reptiles are identified on your site and the scheme cannot be altered to avoid an impact on them, mitigation may be required.

Licences may be required for sand lizards or smooth snakes.

Mitigation for the other reptile species can be undertaken without the need for a licence but may require agreement of a method statement with the planning authority.

Whether a licence is needed or not, mitigation will consist of the following two options:

  • Careful phased cutting of vegetation – this enables reptiles to escape into neighbouring habitat

  • Fencing of the site, reptile capture, to relocate offsite