Hampshire is fortunate that the county covers a huge geographic area and a very diverse breadth of habitat including: the Isle of Wight, the New Forest National Park, the South Downs National Park, as well as many other unspoiled areas, including Woolmer Forest.
It is therefore unsurprising that we are host to 12 out of the 13 native amphibians and reptiles in UK, including rarities such as the Natterjack Toad, Sand Lizard and Smooth Snake, and wherever you live in the county there will be opportunities to survey and monitor an assemblage of amphibian and reptile species.
HIWARG formed in the Autumn of 2018 and is an affiliated independent ARG-UK group. The group focus is conservation of native UK species essentially around habitat management, surveying, public engagement, volunteer training & doing as much as possible to understand & protect the native species in the county.
All members are volunteers with a common interest.
If you have some spare time and would like to be involved with HIWARG, maybe you have taken a photo of a reptile or amphibian and would like it identified or maybe you have some other query, then please do get in contact info@hiwarg.org.uk
CONSERVATION THROUGH EMPATHY BY ENGAGEMENT
Join the ARC team & help clear the disused Burley railway embankment for the benefit of our local animals.
Please keep an eye on your email for the December newsletter that has been sent out to our subscribed members.
We are aware that our email address protocol utilises your PayPal email address with which you signed up, so if that differs from your regular email, please send me the preferred email address for contact purposes & we will update your information.
Please check the events calendar for details & booking.
If you are a subscribed member, please be sure to log into the Member Portal & complete your Volunteer Preferences & your Volunteer Agreement by clicking on the "My HIWARG Account" icon.
These are important so that we know which volunteering aspects you are interested in & so that you are covered under the ARG-UK umbrella when taking part in HIWARG activities.
A huge thank you to everyone that managed to make it through to the member’s kick off meeting today.
Lovely venue and the overall positive discussions, suggestions & so many ideas were incredibly encouraging.
A special thanks to everyone for taking part in such good spirit. Some excellent discussions held afterwards over coffee & cookies as well and I am looking forward to hearing about some of your additional ideas.
The goal is to be able to do some activity every week of the year. Goodness knows there are enough ideas and activities to make that possible.
We’ll be starting to populate the members’ event calendar within the next month with a range of activities that will aid herp conservation in our area.
Be sure to sign up if you are keen on being part of this so that you are on our members database to get the early editions of the newsletters and access to the members event calendar.
Amphibian Identification - downloadable colour cards : a great ID guide from ARG UK/ARC
Newt Eggs & Larvae - downloadable colour cards : an excerpt from the above guide, specifically on newt eggs and larvae
Its a small newt but which one : a HIWARG guide to help differentiate smooth newts and palmate newts
Reptile Identification - downloadable colour cards : a great ID guide from ARG UK/ARC
Non-Native Species ID Sheets (NNSS Website) : ID sheets from the Non Native Species Secretariat
Alien Amphibian and Reptile Species in the UK : A bilingual guide (English/Welsh) from ARC
#BigGreenFrogHunt: Southern Clade Pool Frogs calling A YouTube video of southern clade pool frogs calling in North Hampshire
#BigGreenFrogHunt: Marsh frogs calling
DARN's 'Slow Worms in Churchyards' project
'Amphibians & Reptiles on Allotments' Introduction Leaflet
"Spawn Spotters" presentation 12 Jan 2021
Toad Patrol presentation 12 Jan 2021
Gotta love a larva presentation 9 July 2021
HIWARG Video: Spawn Spotters and Toad Patrols Jan 2021
HIWARG Video: Amphibian surveys: ID'S & Survey Methods March 2021
Reptile Habitat Management Handbook
Amphibian Habitat Management Handbook
Creating Garden Ponds - downloadable booklet
Creating Ponds for Amphibians and Reptiles (Freshwater Habitats Trust)
Guide to the Restoration, Creation and Management of Ponds (Freshwater Habitats Trust)
Habitat Management guides (Buglife) - Not specifically herp based but a great set of guides
How to Create Invertebrate and Reptile Mounds (Magnificent Meadows)
Creating Grass Snake Egg-laying Heaps (ARG UK and RAVON)
ARC's "Dogs and Adders" Advice Sheet
"There is a Snake in my Garden - What can I do?" (ARG UK)
HIWARG Safeguarding Policy and Protocols June 2020
Buddy System/Lone Working Procedures
ARG UK Generic Risk Assessment July2020
REPORT SICK OR DEAD WILDLIFE TO GARDEN WILDLIFE HEALTH
Advice Note-4: Amphibian disease precautions - a guide for UK fieldworkers
Reptile Slough Genebank - collection & submission of found sloughs
Garden Wildlife Health - Severe Perkinsea Infection (SPI)
Fixing Enkamat to Gully Pots - Initial Findings in Sussex
Useful glossary of terms often used within the herpetological field. (Credit due - unknown)
If you would like more information about HIWARG or have something to share with us, please get in touch via the link to our social media presence.
Upcoming events will be listed here.
View All | Find out how to get a mini-website for your ARG
© ARG UK Local Groups mini-websites 2025
Wind powered websites by Aye-aye Design.