Collaboration between conservationists from Jersey and the UK, and scientists in the Netherlands and Portugal, has revealed that Jersey’s iconic toads are a distinct new species, different from toads found in England.

The new British species is revealed in a paper published in the October edition of The Herpetological Journal, published by the British Herpetological Society. The data will be presented by scientist/conservationist Dr John Wilkinson at this week’s Inter-Island Environment Meeting, at Durrell (Jersey Zoo) over the next two days (9-10 October).

Jersey is the only Channel Island to have toads. As a new species, unique in Jersey within the British Isles, they will need tailored conservation to ensure their future survival.

Most toad breeding populations in Jersey appear to be in small, privately-owned garden sites which often support only small (and possibly in the long-term non-viable) breeding populations of single numbers of spawning females. Many of these garden sites are in the west or south of the Island.

The Department of the Environment has been working to protect the Island’s toads for a number of years. Ongoing conservation measures include supporting and advising people who want to install a garden pond, improving where toads live and connecting different breeding sites so toad populations continue to thrive.

Jersey’s toad populations are monitored through Jersey Toadwatch, a project jointly run by the Department of the Environment and Durrell. The information is added to breeding records collected since 2005. This data gives conservationists a clearer picture on trends to inform future action.

Dr Wilkinson carried out his PhD research on Jersey toads and now works as Science Programme Manager for UK charity Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. He said “We always suspected there was something special about the toads of Jersey. They grow larger, breed earlier and use different habitats than English toads. Now we know they are a new species, we can ensure efforts for their conservation are directed to their specific needs.”

The Department of the Environment’s Principal Ecologist, John Pinel, added: “Conservation of biodiversity in Jersey has always had a high priority; this news will help ensure that toads continue to receive the positive action they deserve.”

The news is further evidence of Jersey’s biological distinctiveness, especially concerning amphibians. The agile frog Rana Dalmatina, is also unique to Jersey in a UK context, and has been the subject of successful conservation management in recent years.

Jersey’s only native snake is the focus of a campaign which aims to save it from extinction. Our Island’s rarest reptile, the non-venomous and harmless grass snake is threatened with extinction unless steps are taken to conserve the species.

The ‘Think Grass Snake’ campaign is run by the Department of the Environment together with a number of partners. It aims to raise awareness of the grass snake and to persuade people to report their sightings of snakes and slow-worms. This data will be used in a study, with the ultimate aim of halting the decline of these native reptiles.

There is a campaign website which has a quick, online survey people can submit any sightings to. The site also provides facts and resources about amphibian and reptiles and how to encourage them. There is also a dedicated telephone line for people to call if they see a grass snake.

The campaign will initially be focused on the western side of the island and will be rolled out to other parishes next year.

The campaign, which is funded by a number of companies, charities and not for profit organisations, is led by doctoral student Rob Ward who is studying for a PhD on Jersey’s grass snakes and slow-worms with the University of Kent.

He said: “I’m very keen to hear from the public and learn about any of their sightings or encounters with both grass snakes and slow-worms.

“My main aim is to determine how many grass snakes are left in the Island, where they are, why Jersey’s grass snakes are so rare, and what we can do to improve their conservation status locally.

“If by raising awareness we can help people understand what to look for and then to share their information, this will make a real contribution to the protection of grass snakes.”

The Department of the Environment is appealing for help from the public to assist Mr Ward, so he can build a clearer picture of where grass snakes and slow-worms live and how to protect them.

Islanders who spot a grass snake can contact the spotline on +44 (0)1534 441628.

http://www.thinkgrasssnake.je/

Training to help people find out more about how to protect amphibians and reptiles in Jersey is being offered by the Jersey Amphibian & Reptile Group (JARG) and the Department of the Environment.

JARG has organised a day of talks, workshops and training for existing and new volunteers to learn about local amphibians and reptiles. Each year there is a different focus to highlight a species or issue relevant to conservation in Jersey. For 2013, the focus will be on newts, with an emphasis on how to find them when conducting surveys. The aim is to collect enough information to use to judge future trends and, where necessary, take action to conserve the species for the future.  Speakers at the event include:

1015 -1030    John Wilkinson, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, “The newts at ten”.

1030 - 1100   Brett Lewis, University of Kent  - DICE, “Is Great  crested newt   mitigation  working? An evidence based approach”. 

1100 - 1130   Richard Griffiths , University of Kent - DICE “Detecting population changes in newts: How much survey effort if needed?”.

1130 - 1200  Nina Cornish, States of Jersey, “Jersey Newt Hunt”.

1200 - 1300   Lunch

1300 –1330   Nina Cornish, States of Jersey, “Jersey National Amphibian and Reptile Recording  Scheme (NARRS) Update”.

Nina added: ‘This informal group of organisations and individuals work together for the benefit of species and habitats which are under threat or in need of special attention, and provide a range of strategies and targets for their conservation – which is the case with the newt.  It all helps maintain biodiversity which is essential in order to preserve our natural plants and wildlife’.

As part of Jersey’s efforts to protect its local species, the Island takes part in the National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) (www.narrs.org.uk). The scheme is a partnership project led by the UK’s Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Group (ARC-UK) and the Jersey Amphibian & Reptile Group (JARG). NARRS has been running in Jersey for five years and aims to tell us more about the status of the amphibian and reptile species across the British Isles and specifically here in Jersey.

Central to NARRS is the use of trained volunteers to collect the data. At annual training events, in the form of talks and workshops, interested volunteers are trained in NARRS species identification, survey methodologies and health and safety.  They are provided with a survey site, appropriate equipment and forms to fill in to help them complete their survey.

Every year NARRS highlights a species or issue relevant to conservation in the island. For 2012, to coincide with the Year of the Lizard and Jersey’s published biodiversity action plan, the focus is on the legless lizard known as the slow-worm.  These fascinating but secretive lizards are not slow at all, but live mainly in ant nests and under rotting wood etc. Slow-worms are the original gardener’s friend, drawn by the abundance of slugs and other food.

We are not sure how slow-worms in Jersey are doing at the moment because they are so under-recorded, so to improve our knowledge of these mysterious lizards, the Department of the Environment is running a Jersey slow-worm survey across the Island. The survey will help us to build up a picture of where slow-worms are distributed, their apparent attraction to compost sites, and what sort of conditions suits them best. It is important to stress that the slow-worm likes hiding under forms of refugia (usually corrugated metal sheets, roofing felt or carpet tiles) so to improve the chances of detecting them looking under any forms of existing refugia would be beneficial.

Records will be collected from gardens and compost heaps and used to work out what kinds of habitats slow-worms are using. We hope to collect enough information to establish information against which to judge future trends and, where necessary, take action to conserve the species for years to come.

If you would like to participate, please complete the attached form and return it to: Nina Cornish, Department of the Environment, Howard Davis Farm, Trinity, JE3 5JP. Or complete online at http://www.gov.je/Environment/ProtectingEnvironment/Land/Endangered/Pages/Sightings.aspx.

If you want to help with other amphibian and reptile surveys, you can find details at http://groups.arguk.org/jarg/.