The Herpetological Conservation Trust is a Charitable Company limited by guarantee. We are dedicated to amphibians and reptiles and lead the UK's conservation efforts for these animals.

Species Action Plans

The HCT supports the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan and are keen to see it achieve its potential for our wildlife. We contribute to the overall Biodiversity process by working with the UK’s Government and statutory nature conservation organisations and with many other partners at both national and local levels. Our skills and knowledge have resulted in our appointment as Lead Partner for all the published amphibian and reptile Species Action Plans. We are also involved with other species focused conservation projects and are on the steering group for the Lowland Heathland Habitat Action Plan.

Below are summaries of our main conservation projects:

Natterjack Toad Species Action Plan
Sand Lizard Species Action Plan
Great Crested Newt Species Action Plan
Pool Frog Species Action Plan
Marine Turtles Joint Species Action Plan
Smooth Snake Species Recovery Programme project

Special measures are often needed to promote the conservation of species to take account of their particular needs. These may be missing from initiatives that focus on the conservation of habitats. This ethos underlies much of the work we do; whether it is managing habitats, providing advice to other land managers or working to achieve changes in conservation legislation or policy.

The Natterjack Toad Species Action Plan

Natterjack Toad calling Restricted to coastal sand dunes, salt marshes and a few heathland sites, the Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita) has its strongholds along the Merseyside and Cumbrian coasts, with smaller, more isolated populations on the Solway Firth, East Anglia and south-west Ireland. The Natterjack Toad, like the rare reptiles, has some very specific habitat requirements which need a high input of management funds and manpower to maintain. The species is threatened through loss and damage to its habitats, through drainage affecting its breeding pools, or from competition from other amphibians or predation of its tadpoles.

The Trust has appointed a Natterjack Conservation Officer to co-ordinate the national Species Action Plan for this species. The Trust is the sole Lead Partner for this plan, working alongside Natural England - the Governmental Contact Point. However the successful implementation of this plan also relies on the involvement of many other groups and individuals, including, for example, the Sefton Coast Partnership, the National Trust, the RSPB, Ministry of Defence and Defence Estates, Wildlife Trusts in Cheshire, Cumbria & Norfolk, Froglife and private landowners and Golf Clubs.

The action plan aims to:

maintain or improve existing populations by managing habitat;
restore Natterjacks to areas from where they have been lost;
increase our understanding of and support for the conservation of Natterjack Toads.

Click here to see the published Species Action Plan. The Species Action Plan follows on from Natural England’s successful three year Species Recovery Programme project (running between 1994 and 1996).

Further information about Natterjack Toad conservation is available in the Natterjack Toad Conservation Handbook by Trevor Beebee and Jonathan Denton, published in 1996 by Natural England (priced publication) or in a free leaflet produced by The HCT.

The Sand Lizard Species Action Plan

The Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) is restricted to the heaths and dunes of southern Pair of Sand Lizards England and dunes of north Wales and north-west England. Threatened by habitat loss and damage, degradation and fragmentation of remaining areas of habitat through scrub and tree encroachment, fire and public pressure, the species now occupies only a fragment of its former range.

Natural England's three-year Species Recovery Programme project for the Sand Lizard, supported by the Countryside Council for Wales and the World-wide Fund for Nature, was completed in 1997 and reached or exceeded all of its targets. These included the improvement and expansion of habitat on existing sites and restoration of the species to former sites. The HCT was the contractor for the project. Now the Species Action Plan is continuing our efforts to conserve the species in the UK. The Trust, together with Natural England, are joint Lead Partners for the plan and are taking forward conservation work in partnership with a number of organisations and individuals, including, for example, Sefton Coast & Countryside Service, Local Authorities, the National Trust, Wildlife Trusts, Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Defence and Defence Estates.

Although much can be achieved by conserving heathland and sand dune habitats occupied by Sand Lizards, specific provisions are needed to safeguard the species. Nurturing and protecting mature phase habitats that offer the structure important for this reptile, ensuring that there is sufficient bare sand for egg-laying and providing linkages within and between sites are key activities for conserving Sand Lizards. The plan aims to:

maintain or improve existing populations by managing habitat, notably through the removal of invading trees and scrub;
link populations together by providing suitable connecting habitats;
restore Sand Lizards to areas from which they have been lost;
increase our understanding of and gain support for the conservation of Sand Lizards.

Click here to see the published Species Action Plan.

Further information about sand Lizard conservation is available in the Sand Lizard Conservation Handbook by Nick Moulton and Keith Corbett, published in 1999 by Natural England (priced publication) or in a free leaflet produced by The HCT.

The Great Crested Newt Species Action Plan

The Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus) is the largest and most impressive of our newts, this species is found in thousands of ponds scattered throughout England, Scotland and Wales which in itself poses conservation problems. Appropriate management of ponds and surrounding habitat is vital and our work with this species includes the mobilisation and funding of local assistance to undertake survey work. An increasing amount of The HCT's efforts in amphibian conservation is being directed towards the Great Crested Newt.

We share the role of lead partner in the Biodiversity Action Plan for this species with two other herpetological organisations in the UK - Froglife and the British Herpetological Society. The Great Crested Newt Officer post is based at the Trust; this post is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Species Action Plan. Funding for this work is provided by Natural England, The Countryside Council for Wales and the Herpetological Conservation Trust.

The plan aims to:

maintain or improve existing populations by managing habitat, notably through encouraging action at a local level;
promote conservation policies and practices nationally and locally and especially in relation to agriculture and development planning;
undertake and initiate further survey and improve recording and use of data;
restore Great Crested Newts to new sites within their historic range;
increase our understanding of and gain support for the conservation of Great Crested Newts.

Click here to see the published Species Action Plan.

The widespread nature of the species means that it is particularly important to involve a wide range of organisations and individuals. There is a key role for the many Amphibian and Reptile Groups in Britain in helping to conserve this species.

The Pool Frog Species Action Plan

Native British Pool Frog The Pool Frog (Rana lessonae) has had a chequered history as a native species in the UK; a travel through the literature shows that for over two hundred years various authorities have suggested native status or hypothesised about a source of introduction. Introduced populations are known and seem to be thriving in some localities and difficulty with field identification and taxonomy amongst the green frog group further aided the confusion. However interest has focused on a single population in eastern England that was known to be of some antiquity. Ironically as interest in the species grew, the population declined and is now believed to have become extinct. The last known surviving animal, a male, died in captivity in 1999.

Thus the Species Action Plan, and the Species Recovery Programme before that, is somewhat different from the norm. The Plan aims to:

determine whether any animals exist at the site in eastern England and assess whether there are any other populations that might be native
captive breed from animals known to be of at least part British origin;
assess evidence for native status using:
- genetic techniques (and comparing with museum specimens);
- bio-acoustic analysis: comparing calls with other European populations and with recordings made of the English population in the 1970s and 1980s;
- paleo-archaeological study: looking for bones of the species in material collected from archaeological excavations;
- archive material from museums, natural histories and published works;
assess habitat requirements of the species, to understand the reasons for decline and determine suitability of site in England;
consider, on the basis of the above studies, whether a re-establishment in England is appropriate and, if it is, restore populations using an appropriate genetic stock.

The HCT together with Natural England are Lead Partners for this plan and are assisted financially by Anglian Water. However we have needed the skill of many other individuals and organisations to work on the plan, notably Sussex and Greenwich Universities (for the genetic study), Julia Wycherley (now at Sussex University) and Chris Gleed-Owen (for the paleo-archaeological study) and Geoffrey Kelly (for archive work) and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. A decision on future action is planned early in 2001, to allow time for work to be peer reviewed.

Click here to see the published Species Action Plan.

The Marine Turtles Joint Species Action Plan

Although five species of Marine Turtle have been recorded in UK waters, our effort is primarily concerned with the Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) which is a regular visitor to British Waters. The other four species are more likely to be vagrants. With the Marine Conservation Society as joint Lead Partner and Scottish Natural Heritage as the Governmental contact point, the Herpetological Conservation Trust is taking forward the Species Action Plan for Marine Turtles. Click here to see the published Species Action Plan. Through the plan we aim to:

make UK’s waters safer for Marine Turtles by looking at the threats from fisheries, pollution and dumping (especially plastics) in the sea and collisions with boats and encouraging appropriate measures to reduce impacts;
promote applied research and improved recording and dissemination of information;
raise awareness of Marine Turtles as part of our fauna, especially amongst those most able to assist with their conservation;
promote UK involvement in the conservation of Marine Turtles elsewhere in the World and especially on their breeding beaches.

The Smooth Snake Species Recovery Programme

Although the Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca) is probably Britain’s rarest reptile, there is no published Species Action Plan for it. However, recognised as an English priority for conservation, a Species Recovery Programme project has been initiated by Natural England with The HCT being the lead organisation involved with its development and implementation. An implementation plan has been drawn up for the Smooth Snake as an initial step.

The ‘Action Plan’ aims to:

improve our understanding of the distribution and status of the species through further survey work;
further our understanding of the ecology and habitat needs of the species;
manage habitats for the species;
re-introduce Smooth Snakes to representative sites in southern England to enhance and restore the species range.