Reptile Surveys

NEED A REPTILE SURVEY? CONTACT AWARE ECOLOGY

NEED A REPTILE SURVEY? CONTACT AWARE ECOLOGY

Why is a survey required?

All six native reptile species are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it a criminal offence to intentionally kill or injure them. Whilst sand lizards and smooth snakes have additional protection under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, which protects them from capture and disturbance, as well as damage or obstruction to their habitat.

It is a consideration of the Local Planning Authority (LPA) during the planning process that appropriate measures have been undertaken to consider the impacts on reptiles when determining an application.

The survey aims to establish the identity of what species may be present and the number of individuals that are present. This information can allow us to determine the population size that may be impacted.

If you, your architect, planning agent or the LPA consider there is a likelihood of reptiles being present then a survey must be carried out.

You can contact us for further advice.

Presence/Likely Absence Surveys

This survey determines if reptiles are present on site and, if so, their population size. It is conducted using artificial refugia and visually searching within a defined study area.

Seven visits must be carried out between April and May, plus September. It is possible to undertake surveys during the summer, however, the weather conditions don’t usually provide optimal conditions for the detection of reptiles.

Schedule 1 Species

Sand lizards and smooth snakes require much more extensive surveying than the typical seven survey visits for other reptile species.

What next after the survey is complete?

Once the appropriate survey effort has been completed for your project, a report must be written up to support your planning application. The report will detail information about the surveys, background data for the project area, findings from the surveys, what impact the development will have on these findings and recommendations to mitigate these impacts.

If it is found that reptiles are present then a mitigation plan will need to be agreed upon by the LPA to enable the project to proceed legally. This may outline the need for translocation works to move the reptiles from the site to a suitable receptor site away from the development.

 FAQs

  • Common Lizards, Grass Snakes, Slow-worm and Adders are listed under Schedule 5 of the ‘Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981’ (as amended), in respect of Section 9(5) and part of Section 9(1). This protection was extended by the ‘CRoW Act’.

    Under the above legislation, it is an offence to:

    - intentionally or deliberately kill or injure any individual of such a species; or

    - sell or attempt to sell any part of the species alive or dead.

    Sand lizards and Smooth snakes are designated as ‘European Protected Species’ under the EU Habitats Directive, which provides additional protection. This makes it an offence to deliberately or recklessly:

    - capture, injure or kill animals of such species;

    - disturb animals of such species;

    - take or destroy the eggs of such an animal; or

    - damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place of such an animal

  • Reptiles require a mix of habitat types to support their needs. This includes areas for basking (e.g. south facing slopes), hibernation (e.g. walls, piles of hardcore/wood) and foraging (e.g. rough grassland/scrub).

  • First, a suitable receptor site must be identified, this may mean some enhancement such as refuge creation is required. Once the receptor site is set up artificial refugia is placed out on site and checked on a daily basis, and any reptiles seen are caught and moved to the receptor site.

    Timeframes will depend on the population size on site.

  • The cost will vary with factors such as location, project size and complexity and the number of surveys/surveyors required all playing their part in the total cost.

    Please contact us and we will be able to provide further advice and a quote.