Show your love for our local frogs

Saturday 07 February 2015

You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince so the saying goes but this Valentine’s Day local environmentalists want you to help our native reptiles find a good home instead.

They say development, pollution, invasive plants and animals and extreme weather are all leaving our amphibians without a place to live and contributing to a drop in their numbers.

The Jersey Amphibian and Reptile Group (JARG) and the Environment department Department are organising a day of talks, workshops and training on local amphibians and reptiles and how to protect the areas they need to thrive.

States of Jersey Research Ecologist Nina Cornish said: “Habitat conservation for wild species is one of the most important tools for protecting and enhancing our natural environment. As land use increases, our frogs, toads, snakes and lizards have less space to call home which has an impact on numbers.”

“However, we’ve seen how initiatives like the agile frog species recovery programme can make a real difference. Habitat management of the ponds at Ouaisné and Noirmont, where we’ve removed gorse, scrub and willow, has helped significantly. In 1997, there were just six frog spawn clumps in the ponds. Last year we counted 50 – proof that effective habitat conservation can contribute to saving a species on the brink of extinction.”

Talks at the seminar and training day at the Frances Le Sueur Centre in St Ouen include one by National Trust for Jersey Ranger Sally Dalman called: ‘Relocation, relocation, relocation – how I become a lizard stalker for the summer’.

The afternoon will focus on how to keep tabs on the number of local species and the event is open to anyone interested in learning more about amphibians and reptiles and who want to get involved in wildlife recording and conservation.

You can book your place at the event on Saturday 14 February from 9.30am to 3.30 pm by contacting Julia Meldrum on 441665 or by emailing j.meldrum@gov.je