CRAG - Cornwall Reptile & Amphibian Group
CRAG aims to increase awareness and action on behalf of Cornwall's reptiles (snakes and lizards) and amphibians (frogs, toads and newts)
Its activities include
The group is open to anyone who would like to be involved with amphibian and reptile conservation in Cornwall.
A small annual subscription of £5.00 is payable by all Members, except students who can currently become a member for £1. New members are welcome to apply to join at any time. Click the Membership tab for full details.
CRAG is affiliated to the Amphibian & Reptile Groups of UK.
Please record all sightings of reptiles and amphibians seen in and around Cornwall - that includes non-natives such as terrapins. The easiest way to do this is to click on the 'Record a sighting' tab above and fill out the form. Although we love watching these animals from a safe distance, sadly not everyone appreciates them so please remember never to share exact locations on social media.
Email your entries to argcornwall@gmail.com
On 2nd March 2024, ten CRAG members gathered for a Reptile Survey Training Day in North Cornwall. Led by Helen Fearnley, the event began with an indoor presentation on the UK reptile species, their identification and their natural history. This led on to practical advice on how to find and record them in the field.
The methodology was based on protocols used by the ARC Trust for its National Reptile Survey. Please see the following link for details of that: https://reptile-survey.arc-trust.org/
An afternoon visit to a sand dune site reinforced the survey methods, although cold and windy conditions meant that no reptiles appeared on the day.
Thanks to Helen for organising and leading the training. Also to Andy Nelson of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, who provided sponsorship for the event on behalf of the Making Space for Sand project.
18+ Category
We are very happy to announce the '18 or older' category winner of our annual photography competition!
This image was captured by Roger Fleet.
Judges enjoyed this image as the toad is sharp in contrast with the soft background, allowing the details of the toads skin to be captured!
Roger has some prizes on the way, including a book which was kindly donates by NHBS. Check them out as they have a wide range of books and wildlife products, perfect for a gift to yourself or someone special!
18+ runner up
We are very happy to announce the runner-up to the '18 or older' category winner of our annual photography competition! Unfortunately no one entered the '12-17 category' so we didn't want a prize to go to waste!
This image was captured by George Turner.
Judges enjoyed this image as the slow worm was sharp in contrast to the background, and captured the sunlight that every reptile is looking for.
George has some prizes on the way, including a book which was kindly donates by NHBS . Check them out as they have a wide range of books and wildlife products, perfect for a gift to yourself or someone special!
Up to 11 years Category
We are very happy to announce the 'Up to 11 years' category winner of our annual photography competition!
This image was captured by Olivia Williams.
It's amazing to see people such as Olivia at such a young age getting involved and being interested in their local wildlife.
Olivia has some prizes on the way, including a book which was kindly donated by Evelyn Sinclair. Her books are perfect for children to learn about our native wildlife.
On Tuesday our scientific officer Stephen was joined by students from @newquayuniversitycentre to do some habitat management, and perhaps spot some of the local wildlife.
Habitat management is a key part in protecting our native reptiles and amphibians. By making the site suitable for them, it provides prime habitat for them in order to thrive.
They also did some updates on some reptile mats, another tool used to survey the populations which are used in ongoing studies!
We are very excited to announce our 3rd annual photography competition!
Have you spotted one of our native reptile or amphibians in Cornwall?
Fancy yourself a photographer? Why not enter our free competition? We have categories for different age groups as we want to see everyone get involved!
Aside from a few rules which can be seen on our poster there is no theme so you can be as creative as you would like!
Prizes will be rewarded for the best!
***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:
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 23rd 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 23rd 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!
For general enquiries please contact:
If you have any questions about reptiles or amphibians please contact our Science Officer below.
CRAG is always looking for new volunteers to help with habitat management and species monitoring. If you would like to get involved, please get in touch.
Acting Chair - Ethan Henderson - Ethe94@gmail.com
Science Officer - Stephen Green - stephen.green@cornwall.ac.uk
Amphibian Champion - Alice Pawlik - alicepawlik6@hotmail.com
Treasurer - Mark Nicholson
Secretary - Ethan Henderson - Ethe94@gmail.com
Social Media Officer - Ethan Henderson - Ethe94@gmail.com
Volunteer Coordinator - Emily Menear
Data Officer - Becky Turner
Web Officer - Laura Fox
Upcoming events will be listed here.
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