***In light of the coronavirus outbreak all group surveys and meetings will be postponed until further notice. This is in line with Government advice and that issued by ARG UK.***

This site is closed to public access so relatively undisturbed and a great place to see reptiles and other wildlife.ur April trip this year is to our Penhale site alongside the Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Penhale Dunes Ranger on Saturday 18th April, from 10am to 1PM.

We will meet at the gates to the dunes which will be locked once we enter so you must arrive on time. (Nearest post code: - TR8 5PZ) This takes you to a nearby farm. Drive past the farm until you reach a sharp left hand bend. The gate will be directly in front of you (Grid ref SW 78328 56670)
If you would like to attend please book by emailing trip leader Stephen Green (stephen.green@cornwall.ac.uk) Further details will be provided after booking.

Join Cornwall Reptile and Amphibian Group for a talk by our Scientific Officer Dr Steve Green. Find out how our long term monitoring of one site is helping protect a reptile site and inform the development of a nearby cycle path.

There will be an opportunity for discussion and questions after the talk. All welcome. The event will be held via Zoom.

To book, follow this link to Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cornwall-reptile-amphibian-group-balancing-conservation-and-recreation-tickets-137842926905

Join Alice as she delves into the fascinating world of amphibians. Her PhD research asks how environmental factors are affecting our frogs and are they making them more susceptible to disease? Find out how you can get involved in the great frog swab!

There will be an opportunity for discussion and questions after the talk. All welcome. Please register using the link below. You will receive details of the Zoom meeting instructions on a confirmatory email. This event is open to CRAG members and anyone else interested in CRAG's work so do encourage your friends to register. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cornwall-reptile-amphibian-group-the-south-west-frog-swab-tickets-138859595789

ARG UK evening seminar series on Thursday 18 Mar 2021 19:30 – 21:00

The Role of Reintroductions in Rewilding.

Presented by Nicola Morris (Trustee ARG UK, Invasive Species Officer, South West Lakes Trust), our expert panel will be exploring some of the concepts surrounding the role of reintroductions in rewilding, with a focus on our native amphibians and reptiles. Read more about this online event by following the link where you will also find the link to book a place. https://www.arguk.org/get-involved/events/40-arg-uk-seminar-series-the-role-of-reintroductions-in-rewilding

Our next evening talk will be on Thursday 25th March. Our Data Officer Becky Turner will guide you through how to record reptiles and amphibians and explain how your records can help us to protect them in the wild and their habitats.

The event will be held on Zoom. Tickets are free and can be booked by clicking the link to the Eventbrite booking page below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/crag-a-citizen-scientists-guide-to-recording-amphibians-reptiles-tickets-144870388231 

The next CRAG evening talk will be on Thursday 29th April at 7pm. This month we welcome Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Andy Nelson to talk about the Dynamic Dunescapes conservation project and how you can get involved. Tickets are available by clicking the link below. This free event will be held via Zoom.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/crag-cornwalls-dynamic-dunescapes-tickets-149938587351

Many of us know and love sand dunes as beautiful coastal landscapes, but they are also one of the most threatened habitats in Europe for biodiversity loss. Dynamic Dunescapes, an ambitious conservation project funded by the EU LIFE Programme and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, works on coastal dunes across England and Wales for people and wildlife. Led in Cornwall by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the project works in two locations: The Towans, near Hayle and Penhale Dunes, near Perranporth. Join Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s People Engagement Officer Andy Nelson as he talks about how the project is both using pioneering conservation techniques and striving to engage with the public about these amazing places. Dunes are hugely valuable habitats for reptiles and amphibians and these sites are no exception.

Come find us at Tremough Campus, Penryn at the annual BioBitz organised by EcoSoc. Everyone is welcome!

CRAG will have a stall there, and there are 5 ponds there which have had frogs and newts at different stages so will be running a pond dipping activity.

Following a postponement, the CRAG AGM originally scheduled for October will now take place on Thursday 17th November, and the meeting will be held online. The meeting will start at 7pm and is estimated to run for an hour.

If you do not have Teams installed just click this link and then enter the details below:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting

Meeting ID: 372 583 787 694
Passcode: yNyj9i

Join us for an online evening meeting discussing the group's latest activities, news and plans. Everyone is welcome.

If you're not a member and you would like to attend, please email argcornwall@gmail.com.

Fancy being part of the CRAG ID BioBlitz? We need your help for an hour or so on Saturday 23^rd September by visiting your local area and recording the animals and plants that you see. We’ve made it as easy as possible for you and you certainly don’t need to be experts (we’ve asked some of them to help too).

Cornwall Reptile and Amphibian Group are looking for new volunteers to help us with our BioBlitz, which helps us understand the wildlife (flora and fauna) present in Cornwall on a single day. You may find a new species; one you see regularly or you may find an invasive species… all of this information is so important to us in checking the health of our environment.  We have many habitats in Cornwall to choose from, so there really is something close to you.

We welcome volunteers of any age, so bring the whole family on the weekend! If you are under 16, consent must be gained from a responsible adult. 

We understand that you may be busy, so we are just asking for an hour of your time. That might be visiting your local patch to record some wildlife, helping our spotters identify their wildlife by looking at photos, or by becoming one of the expert verifiers... it really is up to you. 

As a thank you for getting involved, we'll also be offering you the chance to win an annual membership and some additional prizes. There are two prizes on offer, one for the best photograph and one for the most records, so get out there recording!

How to get involved

To join in with wildlife recordings, simply follow these steps:

Step 1: Pick a location and head to your local area at any time on Saturday 23^rd September.

Step 2: For an hour (or however long you like), make a note of any species you see and try to take photos if you can! Simply write in a notebook or your phone. If you’re not sure what species you’ve seen, make some notes describing the animal or plant and take a photo to post on the Facebook group ‘CRAG ID Bioblitz’ event page.

Step 3: Join our Facebook group ‘CRAG ID Bioblitz’ event page to share your sightings and get help with identification if you need it.

Step 4: Log your sightings officially with ORKS. If you are unfamiliar with submitting data, have a try, and any issues just email us at argcornwall@gmail.com

Step 5: Once you've submitted your sightings, download your survey report in ORKS ‘Explore my records’.

Step 6: Please email your survey reports and photos to argcornwall@gmail.com

To sign up as a remote volunteer and verifier, please email argcornwall@gmail.com

Thank you for taking part, we hope you enjoy your day!