Nottinghamshire Amphibian & Reptile Group (NARG) aims to further the knowledge of frogs, toads, newts, lizards and snakes in Nottinghamshire.The group actively supports the conservation of these often secretive and misunderstood creatures, as well as supporting members with training, field trips and surveys.

The main aim of the group is to generate amphibian and reptile records to aid the conservation of these species within the county. We achieve this through surveys which are run throughout the year, as well as workshops (e.g. on animal identification) and other events and projects our members can join in with.

In Nottinghamshire we have four species of amphibian, the Common Frog, Common Toad, Smooth Newt and Great Crested Newt, as well as 3 species of reptile, the Grass Snake, Slow-worm and Common Lizard (all of which are harmless).

If you do see one of these species please record your sightings on Record Pool - this can be done through our website under the 'Record a sighting' tab.

Want to help? Have a look at the 'How you can help' tab at the top of the page to find out more.

Full Event info is on our members-only Facebook Group:

Nottinghamshire ARG (NARG) | Facebook Group

For enquiries we can also be contacted at:

NottsARG@hotmail.com

See previous newsletters here:

NARG_Newsletter_1_2024.pdf

If you'd like to support our work, we'd greatly appreciate a donation equivalent to the cost of a coffee!
https://ko-fi.com/nottsarg

With amphibians and reptiles in decline globally, conservation efforts targeting these species are becoming more and more vital.

Some of the ways you can help conserve Nottinghamshire's amphibians and reptiles are listed below. All of our events are open to anyone, no matter your level of experience!

Members - events published on social media 

• Setting up survey sites 

To better understand the distribution of our herps, we need to be setting up new survey sites (as well as surveying our existing sites!). Members are able to assist with setting up new sites and will learn how we do this most effectively to monitor populations. Sites where we find no amphibians and reptiles are just as important as those that have large populations, as they give us an idea of where management efforts need to be targeted to increase species numbers. 

• Training

Occasionally we offer ID and survey training where you will be taught by some of our enthusiastic committee members. Training events offer opportunities to learn new skills and meet new people! Throughout the year we also have in field training for both amphibians and reptiles where members can learn new ways of surveying, why we survey and how records are beneficial. 

• Reptile surveys

Reptile surveys are carried out regularly and are published on our survey members Whatsapp group. With all of our sites being sensitive we do not publicly publish their locations to prevent unnecessary disturbance. These usually take place in the early morning and consist of visual searches and surveying refugia, providing an opportunity to practice your ID and habitat recognition skills. 

• Amphibian surveys 

Amphibian surveys aren't carried out as regularly as our reptiles survey, but we try to offer them as often as we can. Like our reptile sites, we do not publicly publish their locations to prevent unnecessary disturbance. Amphibian surveys are usually carried on sites that hold all four of our local amphibian species. They are carried out late at night and members can learn ID skills, habitat recognition and survey methods such as torching and egg searching. 

• Habitat restoration 

Although our amphibians and reptiles are resting once the survey season has finished, our members are not! Winter provides the perfect time to clear areas that become inaccessible due to vegetation and many of our sites need clearing annually to ensure they remain suitable for our species. Habitat restoration days consist of cutting down scrub and creating brash piles whilst still allowing areas for reptiles to bask. 

Non-members 

• Toad patrols

As the weather gets warmer in February and March, our amphibians start to migrate to their local ponds. Often this means that they have to cross man made barriers like roads to breed and unfortunately this means there is often a high casualty rate. Volunteers head out during the evenings with a bucket, highvis and torch to save those amphibians from the roads, placing them next to their ponds, we have a few sites across Nottinghamshire, so please get in contact with our Toad Patrol Coordinator at nottsargtoadpatrols@hotmail.com to find your local patrol.

• Event stalls

These events allow NARG to reach a wider audience and educate the public on the importance of amphibians and reptiles and how they can help. These events are usually free to attend and will be published on social media as well as our website.

None of these events require a certain time commitment, so even if you attend one event thats a great help to us! If you do wish to find out more about any of these events, please email us at NottsARG@hotmail.com.

How can we help you?

There may be many ways you can help us, but we can also help you!

• Have you seen something but don't know what it is?

• Are toads crossing the road near you, and you want to help them?

• Do you want us to check a site where you think there may be amphibians or reptiles?

• Are you worried about snakes in your garden? (Don't be as they will be harmless Grass Snakes or Slow-worms)

 Please contact via email if you wish to help us out or if we can help you any way. We may take a few days to respond as we are all volunteers!

Membership costs just £5.00 per year. Your membership will help NARG to protect the amphibians & reptile of Nottinghamshire. As a member you be able to take part in conservation events arround the county.

Option 1 : £5.00 GBP - yearly

You can help NARG achieve its goals by a simple donation towards our activities. Donations are put towards equipment used for habitat management, survey equipment and materials for public engagement eg fact sheets.

By becoming a member you will be insured for any activities and future benefits. If you wish to join or donate then you can pay through paypal using the buttons or we can accept cash or bank transfers. Contact nargtreasurer03@outlook.com with your details to pay by bank transfer.

What are toad patrols?

To survive the colder winter weather, our amphibians enter a state known as brumation. This is a deep sleep which is similar to hibernation (although less permanent as they will wake up to forage during warmer periods). Once the weather is consistently above 5 degrees (usually February onwards), Common Toads will begin to emerge from brumation and make their way towards ponds in order to breed. Unfortunately, many of them will have to cross roads on their way to their breeding ponds which often results in fatalities. Research has shown that on average, Common Toads have declined by 68% in the last 30 years in the UK and road mortality is believed to have played a significant role in this decline. Froglife estimate that 20 tonnes worth of Common Toads are killed on UK roads each year (approximately 500,000 toads). Froglife established their Toads on Roads project in order to combat this. We work with Froglife to coordinate toad patrols across the county of Nottinghamshire.

What is involved in a toad patrol?

Toad patrollers walk toad crossings after dark during the migratory period (usually February-April), picking up and moving any Common Toads (and other species of amphibian – though frogs and newts are found less commonly) to safety. At some sites we are able to access the breeding ponds, so can drop the toads off there directly. At sites where breeding ponds are on private land, we drop the amphibians off at a safe location on the side of the road closest to the breeding pond. In order to patrol you would need the following equipment:

• Bucket – to carry amphibians in
• Torch – to light the way
• Hi-vis jacket – to ensure your safety whilst on the road after dark
• Warm, waterproof clothing – as toads move in temperatures above 5 degrees and prefer
  wet weather
• A method of recording how many amphibians are spotted/helped (both dead and alive as
  this is all valuable data)
• A mobile phone – in case of emergencies

We would also recommend wearing gloves as amphibians have glandular skin which allows them to absorb the water and salt they require for normal bodily functions. This does mean that they can absorb substances off our skin when handled (such as sweat, soaps, creams, hand sanitisers etc) which can be harmful to them. Gloves should always be latex and powder free as these substances  are also harmful to amphibians.

Biosecurity is very important to protect our amphibians from disease spread and we would recommend cleaning boots and patrolling equipment between uses (especially if visiting more than one patrol site). ARG UK recommend using either Virkon (diluted per manufacturers instructions) or a bleach solution (comprised 4% bleach to 96% water) to disinfect equipment that has been in contact with amphibians.

 How to get involved?

If you would like to get involved, or find out any more information about toad patrols in Nottinghamshire, please contact our Toad Patrol Coordinator Kay Woodhouse at:

nottsargtoadpatrols@hotmail.com

Where do we patrol?

We manage toad patrols around Nottingham, Mansfield and Newark-on-Trent.

We also support a number of patrols in the county run by other groups/individuals.

Froglife’s “find your nearest toad crossing” tool can be used to identify patrols in your local area.

We are always on the lookout for new toad crossing sites so if you see amphibians crossing the road in locations not included on Froglife’s map (linked above) please do let us know!

2024 Results

We had a hugely successful patrol season in 2024 where we saved the following amphibians from road mortality:

• 1780 Common Toads
• 41 Common Frogs
• 80 Smooth Newts
• 13 Great Crested Newts

We hope to save even more amphibians in the upcoming migratory season!

If you have any enquiries about amphibians and reptiles in your local area, or Nottinghamshire in general, we would love to hear from you.

Please find ways of getting in contact below: 

For sightings, event details and members chat, please see our members only Facebook Group

Nottinghamshire ARG (NARG) | Facebook Group