27/3/2008

Local News

Get Rushmoor's frogs on record

STAR readers are being asked to keep their eyes peeled for cold-blooded creatures that lurk in the dark corners of Aldershot and Farnborough – and we’re not talking about the area’s criminals. 
Rushmoor Borough Council is encouraging residents to keep their eyes open for frogs, toads, lizards and other creatures as part of its reptile and amphibian survey.
People are being asked to record all the cold-blooded creatures they spot between now and the autumn.
Residents should be on the look-out in their gardens and other green spaces, where there could also be frogspawn and tadpoles.
At this time of year, reptiles and amphibians are emerging from hibernation and becoming more active; and many will be making the journey back to breeding sites and ponds over the next month. 
The survey is running from February through to the end of October to cover the time of the year that these animals are active. 
Reptiles and amphibians are cold-blooded so their activity is heavily dependent upon the weather; they prefer warm dry days to leave shelter and hunt food.
Nicola Sims, biodiversity officer at Rushmoor Borough Council, said: “The survey will be important in helping us identify not only which species are present in the borough but also where they are at different times of the year.”
She added: “Although the urban environment can make life difficult for reptiles and amphibians, there are still a number that persist and thrive in our borough.
“If we know where they are, we can use this information to improve habitats for them in the future.”
The survey is quick and easy and can be completed on the council’s website, www.rushmoor.gov.uk/reptilesurvey. Copies are also available from the council offices
in Farnborough or by contacting Nicola Sims at Rushmoor Borough Council on 01252 398731.
The closing date for completed surveys is October 31, 2008

First printed in: Surrey Hants Star