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Islanders are being asked to gather data about reptiles in their local areas to assess conservation status, distribution, and habitat requirements for Reptilewatch Project.
The data collected from Reptilewatch will be added to previously collected data and used to evaluate future trends and actions necessary to help conserve protected species in Jersey.
According to interest, experience, and availability, locals have the option of three different ways to participate in the campaign:
Level 1 – spend 30 minutes looking for reptiles (no experience or training is required)
Level 2: Wall lizard – carry out six visual surveys, at 30 mins each (no experience needed, but you must attend the training event)
Level 2: Widespread – carry out six visual surveys along a transect, at one to two hours each (no experience needed, but you must attend the training event)
The free training event will take place on Saturday 18 March at Les Creux Bowls Club from 10:00-16:00.
Islanders are encouraged to attend to develop their knowledge of reptiles, become a trained Wild Volunteer, and access other Wild about Jersey schemes.
Senior Environment Officer in Biodiversity, Liz Walsh, said: "This year is Reptilewatch's fifth anniversary, so I'd really like to increase the participation rates – particularly for Level 1 which doesn't require any experience or training.
"Reptilewatch is open to everyone, and participation doesn't need to be a huge commitment. In fact, it's a great way for islanders to connect to nature and appreciate their surroundings, as well as supporting the conservation of our reptiles inhabiting in Jersey."
Pictured: “Reptilewatch is open to everyone, and participation doesn’t need to be a huge commitment."
She added: "We rely on the kind support and commitment of our volunteers, who allow us to run more surveys and gain a better understanding of Jersey's environment, so that we can protect it for future generations."
Locals hoping to attend this event should reserve their free place on the Reptilewatch JE training 2023 Eventbrite page, where they can also view the training day schedule.
You can also find out more information about the Reptilewatch project on here.
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