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In mainland Britain we have seven naturally occurring amphibian species and six native reptile species.
Amphibians
Newts (Urodeles or Caudates)
Palmate newt Lissotriton helveticus (formerly Triturus helveticus)
Common or Smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris (formerly Triturus vulgaris)
Great crested or Warty newt Triturus cristatus
Frogs & Toads (Anurans)
Common Frog Rana temporaria
Pool frog Pelophylax lessonae (formerly Rana lessonae)
Common toad Bufo bufo
Natterjack toad Epidalea calamita (formerly Bufo calamita)
Reptiles
Lizards (Sauria)
Common or Viviparous lizard Zootoca vivipara (formerly Lacerta vivipara)
Snakes (Serpentes)
Adder Vipera berus
Grass snake Natrix natrix
Smooth snake Coronella austriaca
Five of the species listed above have suffered recent dramatic population declines and receive legal protection as individual species in their own right. The species concerned being the Natterjack toad, Pool frog, Great crested newt, Sand lizard and smooth snake. As such, it is illegal to;
- kill, injure or capture them;
- disturb them in any way
- damage or destroy their habitat
- possess them or sell or trade them in any way.
Following research and consideration of probabilities one species from the group, the Pool frog, has recently been considered as a native species after initially being thought of as an introduced alien species. Restoration of this species to Britain is currently being undertaken as part of a reintroduction programme being conducted by the Herpetological Conservation Trust. Currently confined to Norfolk, the full and interesting story in relation to the species and it’s status in Britain can be viewed at the HCT website here
Of the remaining four endangered species, only one, the great crested newt, is likely to be encountered within the geographical range of West Glamorgan ARG, the other three species living chiefly on the southern heaths of Surrey & Dorset, as well as at isolated sites in Lancashire and Cumbria. There are also significant and successful populations at reintroduction sites thanks to the efforts of HCT elsewhere in Britain such as various sites in North Wales for example.
For the purposes of this website, the five indigenous species of amphibian and four species of reptile that occur in West Glamorgan shall be covered extensively. The indigenous species that occur elsewhere in the country will also be given due consideration as well as the various naturalised and alien species of amphibians that have also been recorded throughout Britain, some of them on occasion in south Wales.
