Visit ARG UK's Eventbrite page to sign up to their free "Autumn Seminar Series" webinars.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/amphibian-amp-reptile-groups-of-uk-arg-uk-18283654913

On Sunday 30th August, HIWARG had its second field trip to help determine the extent of a population of Southern Clade Pool Frogs, Pelophylax lessonae. We are hoping to map the distribution of this species in North Hampshire and will be carrying out ongoing surveys in the general area. Pool Frogs in the UK are split into two "Clades", which effectively means 'natural group'. Pool Frog populations that were present in Norfolk were considered to be non-native, until they were identified as Northern Clade Pool Frogs and most likely native. Northern Clade Pool Frogs are a rare group found mainly in Scandinavia, Estonia and up until the mid 1990s, in Eastern England. Following the extinction of the UK populations, a reintroduction programme began in 2005.

However, the population in Hampshire are known to be Southern Clade Pool Frogs from mainland Europe and are considered non-native and this population were previously known to be carriers of the Chytridiomycosis disease. Our first survey earlier in the summer involved capturing animals to swab for Chytrid and we are following this up with further surveys, moving away from the main breeding ponds. Keep watching the website and our social media platforms for updates of this project.

We received a kind donation by a member of the group of a few 100 old journals, bulletins & news letters, some dating back to 1952. Along with some lovely historical pieces such as the registration form for Herp Workers Meeting 1997 (some of the wording still identical today 😊 ) and others.

Look at some of the tours available in 1989…. interesting when one sees how little things have changed and virtually the identical headlines are still featuring now some 30-50 years later e.g. Declining Amphibian Populations, Pool Frog populations in UK, Adder declines etc.

One day when we have a “club house” these will make up part of our library.

About ten days ago, a toad was discovered in Devon with leeches completely covering both eyes and a few attached to it's limb joints. A photo was posted on ARG UK's Facebook discussion group asking for advice, but nobody had seen anything similar. A few of the forum members started investigating and Steve Allain discovered a similar photo posted on an RSPB forum, which had been taken on the Isle of Wight eight years ago. A natural history note reporting on leeches in Tunisia, showed remarkable similarities with the feeding behaviour. This prompted HIWARG to follow this up with the Non Native Species Secretariat, ARC, ARG UK and Garden Wildlife Health (who investigate wildlife disease etc). Samples were collected of the Devon leech and were sent off for identification, which we are waiting for currently.

As the 2012 sighting was in HIWARG's area, we posted the story on HIWARG and DARN's FB page, along with a couple of other local FB pages in the hope the groups would do their thing and spread the news... We didn't think it would work so quickly, but in less than 24 hours we were tagged in two photos from the Isle of Wight, which showed two frogs covered in leeches. One of the frogs had been caught and kept in captivity and samples of leeches were collected to send off to GWH. Unfortunately, the frog died a couple of days ago so will be sent to GWH for post-mortem.

We don't know if this is an unrecorded behaviour of a native leech or a new non-native species of leech, but hopefully we will get a confirmed identification soon. HIWARG has also teamed up with IoW organisations to identify locations of these leeches. We will update this story as we get further news.

A sad but very intriguing case. #Scienceinaction.

If you find any similar cases, please contact us via our Facebook group if possible as we will be able to respond to this much faster, if you are not a Facebook user, please email us at info@hiwarg.org.uk

HIWARG's Facebook group can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/455730808110700/

Please be advised that in accordance with the Govt requested virus limiting actions and in the interests of our members, their friends, families and the public in general we are postponing our HIWARG "group" activities until further notice.
This is inline with the decisions taken by a wide range of volunteer reliant organisations, trusts, councils etc. Fortunately many of our activities such as surveys etc. are geared around being individual activities, so I’m sure we will still see posts on the group as some folks may still undertake solo surveys, nature walks etc. and share photo’s & details of these.
Fresh air, sunlight & maintaining activity levels remain healthy activities where & while possible and the outdoors and nature are valuable stress relief measures.

We are wishing everyone the very best through these troubling times and for those who might be infected, we hope you experience a very speedy recovery.

Looking forward to catching up with you all again at the end of the social distancing period.

Stay safe and and healthy.

Regards

The HIWARG Panel