Upcoming Event!
Booking essential so follow the link below
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2019-north-east-england

Big Thank from Daisy to recorders Steve Doyle, John Martin and Chris Hind who fact checked her first ever museum exhibition.😀

The species of the week this week are Adder’s (Viperus berus).

A UK priority species that can be found in a variety of habitats such as woodland and heathland with a diet of lizards, small mammals and some small birds. Adders can be easily identified due to their distinctive zig-zag pattern down their back; they do vary in colour but tend to be ‘greyish’ though females sometimes appear more ‘coppery’ and males more ‘silvery’. Interestingly they are a venomous snake and the only venomous snake found in the UK, however they have a very diluted venom that isn’t that harmful to humans plus they naturally will slither off rather than lash out.

The CBDC has around 1000 records for Adders in Cumbria with the highest recorded month being May. The two highest recording years for Adders where 1991 and 2011, since 2011 we have seen a consistent downward decline for the number of records we receive. This is a worrying trend that is occurring across the UK, it is believed this decline is due to habitat loss but also adders only reproduce every 2-3 years meaning population recovery is very slow.

This means Adder records and recording Adders is very important as it can help create a bigger picture of the Adder population in Cumbria. If you have seen any Adders recently and have managed to get a picture of them please comment them down below, to start things off here are some incredible images taken by local recorder and an active member of the Cumbria Amphibian and Reptile group, Racheal Thompson.

Fantastic News!