Newtsletter Number 41, October 2006

This is your newsletter so feel free to write, e-mail or phone if you are moved to make a contribution,
or if there is some topic you would like us to cover. As editor I will always be pleased to hear from
you. Patrick Roper, South View, Churchland Lane, Sedlescombe, East Sussex TN33 0PF.
Tel: 01424 870993 and 870208, e-mail: patrick@prassociates.co.uk

For breaking news and topical features go the SARG weblog:

http://sussexamphibianandeptilegroup.blogspot.com

SUSSEX AMPHIBIAN & REPTILE GROUP A.G.M.

SECRETARY`S REPORT MAY 2005 - MAY 2006

May I first of all extend warm thanks once again to Emma Goddard, Richard Dyer and the South East
Water team for allowing us the use of their lovely premises at Arlington over the course of the year.
There can be few venues in Sussex with such a dramatically pretty background, and the group has
been most grateful not just to have a permanent ` home ` here, but for all the help we have been given
by Emma and the staff over and above their normal call of duty. It has been most appreciated.

RECORDS AND TOADS

Steady progress has been the underlying

theme this season, and highlights have
included the remarkable resurgence and
change in fortunes of the toad population
Remember to send in your records
and the discovery of several new sites for
some of our more scarce herps. These Records of reptiles and amphibians in Sussex are
should be reflected in records now being important. So that they can be fully available to
sent to Henri Brocklebank at the Sussex SARG and other conservationists, send them to:
Biodiversity Records Centre at Woods
Mill. All our records are held there now, Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre, Woods Mill,
and there have been 524 enquiries Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD, phone 01273
already this year! 497554 or 01273 497521. Or e-mail them to
charlesroper@sussexwt.org.uk
Anyone who has not yet sent in their
records is urged to do so in order that To find out more about the Record Centre and its
threats to species may be countered and work, see the website at: www.sxbrc.org.uk
supported with up-to-date scientific data.
Information held is freely available to
members on request.

At national level SARG has featured prominently in a Sunday Telegraph feature on Uckfield`s Mallard
Drive Toad Patrol. Well done to Jenny and all the volunteers on this, and other registered (and
unregistered) toad crossings. However, only three of our 23 sites registered have so far sent in
their records so, as Delia Smith would say, "Where are you? Where are you? Let's be having you!".
This is important because SARG have agreed to assist Froglife in a national amphibian and reptile
recording scheme (NARRS) and, with continuous reliable annual data from specific sites, problems

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that toads (and other herps) have been experiencing in Sussex can be picked up on the national
`radar` at a far earlier date to give adequate time to put help in place. Forms are available to those
who wish to support this valuable initiative on their local patch.

The Offham crossing promises to occupy much of our attention, not least because funding for the
fencing is to be withdrawn this year. Offham SSSI marshes has historically been the key site for
amphibians in Sussex and we simply cannot let this jewel slip quietly away. Thanks to the SARG
volunteers at Offham we now know that palmate newts also travel just as far as toads and thoughts are
moving towards improvement of habitat below the road to improve survival rates for both species
together with putting in place an appeal to fund permanent fencing. If you would like to help in the
fundraising and crossing generally, please let us know. There is a similar but perhaps less
pressing problem at the Wiston toad crossing in the West of the County. Again, volunteers are
sought.

SURVEYS

Barry Kemp has again been our main man at many, many sites this year. As well as ongoing work on
adders at Chailey Common, there has been a Powdermill Trust `suite` at Catsfield and Crowhurst
(thanks to Janet Claydon and Linda Burnham) as well as current work at Rotherfield, Southease,
Preston Park, involvement at Crawley Down, East Hoathly, Groombridge and Hurst Green ponds.
Many of these have included habitat creation. The cold weather up to early May somewhat hampered
matters and there is a need to catch up. No surprises, therefore, that help would is always welcome.

EVENTS

Although attendance at many events, e.g. Rye and Preston Park, has had to be turned down due to
difficulties obtaining volunteers, there have been some very good days indeed. Among them were the
annual fair at Bishopstone, underpinned by Janet Claydon and Dianne Simms, a guided walk at the
Pestalozzi International Village in Sedlescombe led by Patrick Roper, a recent training day in
Rotherfield and the promise of more to come. The regional conference in Reigate in November was
first rate, and the next one will be held in Kent. Barry had perhaps the most memorable experience
raising funds for High Hurstwood Wildlife Garden. Bewl Water reservoir hosted a dragon boat race,
and his sturdy vessel, HMS the" GCN " was gamely entered!

There were also been one or two talks given over the season. Special thanks must once again go to
Linda Burnham who has again performed miracles in getting displays ready. Having done this for many
many years now Linda would quite rightly like to take a rest and volunteers are sought to help
maintain and man SARG`s event displays in 2007.

In addition to the above there are the little recorded events which go quietly unnoticed. These include
frequent requests for help in rescues e.g. children with newts in jam jars, adders in lavatories, corn
snakes in bathrooms and so on and so forth. There remains a clear need to educate the public as
many of these calls to great crested newts turn out to be smooth newts (and even lizards!), and slow -
worms are always adders. We are grateful to our colleagues in ESRAS (East Sussex Reptile and
Amphibian Society) who deal with substantially more exotic calls these days. It remains a mystery to
me why people buy and then dump their pets.

PLANNING

This has been a bumper year for our input and representation in planning matters, partly as a result of
recent legislative changes. Rarely a week passes without letters or telephone enquiries, and many of
these are batted out to Henri at the BRC in Small Dole, so thank you SWT. Proposals have included a
bridleway bridge on the A26 at Southease, various waterworks and other projects in the High Weald
AONB, input into a Pebsham Country Park, possible translocations in Crowborough and Hastings,
appeal inquiry survey work in Heathfield, ditches in West Ham, desalination plants and coastal
defenses in Newhaven, and a whole manner of other projects that have been ongoing such as the
Ouse Estuary/National Park. Thank you to all of the committee and members who have freely given
their time to deal with these often troublesome development matters. I can only see the trend as being
in an upward direction in 2007, so gird your loins.

OTHER MATTERS

As you know it is still an objective to produce a publication dedicated to the memory of our former
secretary, Wendy Bowers. There are moves in hand to print a really first rate handbook of the
Amphibians and Reptiles of Sussex, something long overdue. We will keep you posted and involved in
this.
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Funds have recently become available for the purchase of surveying tins and felts. Any member who
would like to become involved with the surveying of reptiles is welcome to make enquiries of their
availability.

Continued active contact is established with the Sussex Wildlife Trust, English Nature, County
Councils, Froglife, British Herpetological Society and numerous local wildlife groups such as the
Chailey Common Society and Powdermill Trust. Copies of our " Newtsletter " are forwarded to these
organisations, and in return many useful documents come our way. We have recently heard of a more
targeted (and cheaper) insurance provided by the overarching national body, ARG ( UK ), for example.
In order to take advantage of this option we need formally to insert a sub-clause into our
constitution to the effect that we are affiliated to ARG (UK). I therefore would like to propose
that we amend our constitution accordingly to reflect our desire better to protect members in
their duties with SARG.

Next year sees the 20th Anniversary of SARG. We would like to invite a suitable dignitary to celebrate
the occasion. Do you have any suggestions for the attendee(s) and how they may be contacted?

Finally, as you know several of our committee members will be standing down this year, myself
included, and I would like to take the opportunity of thanking all of them, and the committee generally
for their hard work and tireless activities on behalf of the group, and the friendship and help they have
given me over the last five years. Our herps are not yet safe, though, and it is my personal wish
that as many of you as possible will be putting your names forward this year for a stint on
committee.

Dave Harris, Secretary

Our new SARG blog by Patrick Roper (Newtsletter editor)

Earlier this year I set up a blog (or weblog) for SARG and, for those of you with an Internet
connection, it can be visited here:

http://sussexamphibianandeptilegroup.blogspot.com/

If you want to post information on events or other activities, have any interesting photos or
want to contribute in any other way, send me the material and I will upload it for you.

The literary herpetile

Snakes alive!

“If it is true that the Dionysiac Architects and the Bacchus/Dionysius-worshipping Greek and
Roman Collegia, were among the originators of the Freemasons, then it is highly likely that
they were linked also with the serpent-worshipping Druids who were also known as Adders or
Snakes. They were all in fact a later showing of the worldwide serpent cult the same as those
in India, Egypt and elsewhere, who all had fantastic building skills and held secrets of the true
and hidden Gnostic traditions.”

From Philip Gardiner author of The Serpent Grail, Gnosis: The Secret of Solomon’s Temple
Revealed and The Shining Ones. Watkins Publishing, 2005.

No deserts in England

“See how the lizards of the seaside sandhills, emerald-green and tawny-grey, agile as thought,
quick-eyed and docile as love, dart to the speary grass that grows like a mimic wheat-field in
those wild and trackless deserts! “Deserts” did we say? When a thousand forms of life,
brilliant beetles cased in armour of bronze and crimson; fairy-like butterflies, whose wings are
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azure above, and beneath dotted with jewels; birds that lift up cheering voices, and lay down
pretty feathers; - when the golden-flowered and fragrant galium, and the milk-white cups of
the grass-of-Parnassus, make a desert, then let the haunt of lizards receive this name – in
England always thoughtless, and usually unjust.”

L. H. Grindon (1868) The Trees of Old England. F. Pitman, London

From Yukon Amphibians

“Frogs can also be guardian spirits, like the frog helper that appeared to Skookum Jim after he
rescued a frog trapped in a deep hole. Skookum Jim later dreamed of a frog, which showed
him a gold-tipped walking stick and told him he would find his fortune downriver. In 1896,
after travelling down the Yukon River to Dawson, Skookum Jim was one of the first people to
discover gold in the Klondike.”

From: Yukon Amphibians (Government of the Yukon, 2005) - well worth reading even if you
have no plans to go to the Yukon. It is online here:

www.yesnet.yk.ca/events/yukonenvironment/pdf/amphibians05.pdf

In brief
From The Yorkshire Post 8 May 2006: “Now in acres of dereliction the only remains of
Butlins holiday camp at Filey is the deep end of the outdoor swimming pool – full to the brim
with thousands of Great Crested Newts.”

From: Venom of snakes could put bite on painful arthritis by Lyndsay Moss in The
Scotsman 27 March 2006

The Arthritis Research Campaign said they had heard of examples of people with arthritis
being bitten by snakes and their pain reducing.

Spokeswoman Jane Tadman said: "Similarly, others have reported the same effect from bee
stings and nettles and it appears that all venom and stings have some kind of pain-relieving
properties. "Obviously people shouldn't seek out adders to bite them on the off-chance that it
might help their arthritis, but a synthetic form of venom minus the toxins might be the
answer."
From David Ignatius in the Indianapolis Star,8 March 2006

“The warnings are coming from frogs and beetles, from melting ice and changing ocean
currents, and from scientists and responsible politicians around the world. And yet what is the
U.S. government doing about global warming? The answer, essentially, is nothing. That
should shock the conscience of American citizens.”

From: Janice Wiese-Fales in the Columbia Daily Tribune 17 March 2006:

“In 1865, the Stockton and Hartlepool Mercury, a British newspaper, reported that workmen
had discovered a live toad buried 25 feet deep in solid rock. In the early 19th century, when
digging was done by hand, such reports were not uncommon.”

The Mountain chicken or Crapaud is a national symbol here. It is on the island’s Coat of Arms
and forms part of Dominica’s National Dish. New attempts are being made to conserve one of

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Dominica’s rare species, the mountain chicken or crapaud which is now on the brink of
extinction.

The team of Indonesian, American and Australian researchers were dropped by helicopter into
the Foja Mountains on New Guinea island, "as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to
find on earth," in the words of team co-leader Bruce Beehler of Conservation International.
Over several weeks in November and December, the team discovered dozens of new species -
more than 20 species of new frogs. February 2006

At licensed child-care centres in North Carolina, reptiles are being ushered out of classrooms,
not because they are nipping little preschool fingers but because they might carry salmonella -
bacteria that can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, fever and headaches. Because the
regulations are based on a demerit system, child-care centres could keep reptiles and
amphibians without losing their licenses. But inspectors would have to issue three demerits to
centres with pet lizards, snakes and other reptiles.

Anne Blythe in The Charlotte Observer

Froget-Me-Not-Farm

Western Australia's first dedicated frog farm is set to get approval in Waroona, in the state's
south-west, as part of the efforts to save the endemic western green tree frog Litoria moorei
from extinction. The frogs are only found in the south-west corner of the state, but have
become endangered due to urban development and introduced predators. The Froget-Me-Not
Farm would run breeding and research programs and provide tours and educational material
for schools and the general public.

ABC News Online: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200602/s1572226.htm

Cane toads are capable of moving nearly 1 mile in one night and that is translating into a
major problem in Australia. Scientists, writing in the journal Nature, say cane toads -- Bufo
marinus -- are developing a leggier, faster-moving form that is now moving quickly across the
continent. The amphibians that can weigh more than 4 pounds were introduced to Queensland
from South America in 1935 in an attempt to wipe out cane beetles, a pest that was destroying
sugar crops in northeast Australia.

Since then, the toads have become a major threat to indigenous animals, killing snakes,
lizards, water birds and even crocodiles. The toads are moving at a rate five times faster than
when they arrived in Australia -- covering an average of nearly 35 miles annually.
Researchers have been unable to devise a method of controlling the spread of the toads, which
scientists say are causing an "ecological nightmare." Because Australia has no native toads,
many indigenous predators such as snakes, lizards and mammals are very sensitive to the
toxin. So when the toads spread, they immediately kill off many of the region's top predators.

United Press International

TITH POLONGA
According to Mark O’Shea, author of Venomous Snakes of the World, the most dangerous
species is the Sri Lankan Russell’s viper, Dabola russelli, known as tith polonga in its native
country where it kills as many as a thousand people a year. Part of the reason is that it is
common around houses and in paddy fields where many people work.

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An anti-venom specific to this snake has been developed in the UK, but it is expensive and not
entirely satisfactory and the University of Colombo is working on a cheaper and more
effective version though, sadly, they are short of the funds needed for this.

As many as 80,000 people a year worldwide die of snakebite but, because this is a dispersed
problem unlike an earthquake or a tsunami, the problem does not hit the headlines and attract
the level of funds required for the anti-venom research that would help both people and
snakes.

SNAKES ALIVE!
Check out these photos of a snake caught on an
electric fence on a sheep and cattle station near the
New South Wales town of Nyngan. Some tourists
came across the snake caught in an electric fence,
being continually shocked, and getting very angry.

The group wondering what to do, decided

to divert the current, cut the wire AND let
the snake go (thinking this was the
humane thing to do). When the property
owner found out he went ballistic.
Besides being upset about his fence, the snake had been eating lambs in the area, and he'd
been trying to catch it for ages. He did not appreciate the help!

MANAGING FOR FROGS IN JAPAN

From Kevin Short in the Daily Yomiuri

Nihon-aka-gaeru, the Japanese Brown Frog Rana japonica inhabits woodlands where they
feed on worms, spiders and insects that live on the forest floor. Their eggs and tadpoles,
however, depend on rice paddies. This species thus requires both rich woodland and rice
paddy habitat. In addition, these habitats must be contiguous, allowing the frogs to move
freely back and forth.

Brown frogs cannot live in valleys where the deciduous woodlands have been cut or changed
to conifer plantations. They also cannot survive if the paddies have been consolidated and
fitted with drainage systems that remove all the water during the fallow months. Also, deep,
concrete-sided irrigation ditches dug between the woodlands and the paddies will prevent the
frogs from crossing back and forth.

To support a large population of brown frogs, a valley must have healthy, intact woodlands
along its slopes. It also must be free of deep concrete ditches, and have paddies that contain at
least some water throughout the year. Many other species, such as dragonflies, fish and
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wading birds, also require similar habitats so a valley with lots of brown frogs is almost sure
to support a high level of biodiversity.

Unfortunately, this sort of valley is becoming rarer every year. Valleys that once supported
several hundreds or even thousands of brown frogs are now completely empty. In many cases,
it is changes in the rice paddies and irrigation ditches, rather than loss of woodland, that is to
blame.

Counting egg batches is hard, muddy work. It involves long hours of walking along lonely
farm roads, checking every single rice paddy that contains water. The data, however, can help
local governments formulate their regional conservation plans. Valleys with strong frog
populations can be targeted as the top priority areas for usually limited conservation funds.

PESTALOZZI WALK, SEDLESCOMBE

Sunday 2nd April 2006

On a raw and windy day members of SARG and students and friends of the Pestalozzi Village
were treated to a wonderful tour of the 135 acre estate under the expert guidance of Dr Patrick
Roper, our newtsletter editor and a village trustee. It was not long before a dip in the pond in
the walled garden revealed the presence of several specimens of Palmate newt. A brisk
downhill walk to the woods and river followed, with a brief stop at the recently restored Great
Crested newt pond, complete with deer access in the new stock fencing. Woods and water
yielded neither newts nor reptiles, but the children enjoyed the `assault` course and breeches
buoy along the way and learnt much about liverworts, oak galls and our native flora and fauna.
An uphill hike past the newly planted arboretum, containing all our island`s indigenous trees,
saw Percy the dog straining at the leash to reach the Swiss Hall for his cup of tea and cake.
Fresh air, wildlife, good international companionship ( Polish, Spanish, Nigerian, Indian ) and
a great English cuppa in a delightful part of Sussex made for a thoroughly decent day. Thank
you, Patrick.

Dave Harris

CYBERSARG

All links were live at the time of going to press.

The Herpetological Conservation Trust’s Adder Project web site:

http://adder.org.uk/
Lee Brady’s blog for the Kent ARG. Very well worth a look:
http://homepage.mac.com/calumma/iblog/index.html
Arkive:
A brilliant site for images of wildlife. Look at the entries on slow-worms:
http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/reptiles/Anguis_fragilis/
Survey of the common lizard in Ireland:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4941642.stm
Resistance to chytridiomycosis?:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4998074.stm
Yummy mummy: baby amphibians eat mother alive:
Good stuff from the Natural History Museum
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2006/apr/news_8032.html
Newts from California to Alaska:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/04/HOGDJHGN5A1.DTL
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Frozen frogs – survival in the Alaskan arctic:
http://www.sitnews.us/0406news/041506/041506_ak_science.html
A useful fact sheet on slow-worms from Worcestershire:
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/home/bio-leaflets-factsheet-slow-worm.pdf
A fact sheet on British reptiles from the Wildlife Trusts:
http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/facts/reptile.htm
A fact sheet on slow-worms and adders from Scottish Natural Heritage:
http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/education/slowworm.pdf
Ultrasonic frogs:
A new species of frog has been discovered in China with a complex ultrasonic croak rather
like the sounds used by bats:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4806906.stm
‘My life as a toad warden’ from the BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A3521152
Newt mitigation in Leicestershire:
http://www.newbuilder.co.uk/news/NewsFullStory.asp?ID=1270
rid Fungus, Toxic Fundamentalism, and the Mass Extinction of Frogs
Steven Laffoley in Marxist Thought Online says “The first law of ecology is this: all things are
interconnected - even frogs and freedom.”
http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/3051/1/32/
Why frogs are green:
http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060403_mm_frog_green.html
Quiz question

Q. What is a half-adder?

A. A mathematical term for an addition circuit that adds in columns.

A TEENAGER is set to get an Anti-Social Behaviour Order — to stop him stealing NEWTS.
The 15-year-old lad and a pal were netted by cops after a neighbour filmed them pulling the
creatures from a back garden pond. They admitted stealing fish and “other aquatic life” from
Mark Anderson’s garden in Gloucester in June last year.

Police applied for the ASBO to city JPs yesterday. It would ban the lad from Mr. Anderson’s
garden. But his lawyer asked for time for reports. The teenager, who cannot be named, already
has a nine-month supervision order for possessing cannabis. His pal, also 15, was given a 12-
month supervision order.

The Sun, 24 February 2006

NARRS, a national recording scheme challenge for the ARGs

John Baker & Chris Gleed-Owen*

*The Herpetological Conservation Trust, 655a Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 4AP

The National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) is a project to set up a
national long-term surveillance project for all species of herpetofauna in the United Kingdom.
By thoroughly examining the amounts and types of data needed to monitor trends in the status
of species at national, regional and local levels, and consulting widely, we aim to build a
robust system for collecting consistent and comprehensive time-series data on a scale that is
currently lacking. The only realistic way of collecting data on such a large scale, probably
from thousands of locations, is to seek the help of volunteers. Not only would the existing

8
ARG network in Britain be invaluable to the operation of NARRS, it should also provide
impetus and direction for the network, with a national project to work on together.

NARRS is being developed through a partnership led by The Herpetological Conservation

Trust (the HCT) and including ARG UK, Froglife, English Nature, Countryside Council for
Wales and others, with generous funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. We are currently
in the project design stage (‘Phase 1’), involving wide consultation of the ARGs and many
other people and organisations. A scoping study was carried out by the HCT last year, and
many of you have already contributed to a questionnaire survey and workshop. We are now
seeking to design the survey protocols, assess the size of the volunteer involvement required,
and address all other aspects of running a successful national recording scheme. Phase 1 will
run until August 2006, and if funding is secured, the fieldwork programme will begin in early
2007.

Many of you will recently have been contacted by us, inviting you to take part in consultations
and workshops as part of Phase 1. We wish to make the development of NARRS as inclusive
as possible, not only to gather the diverse expertise that exists in the herpetological
community, but also to make people want to be part of it. We propose the following working
group themes; consultation will mostly be by email, but may involve workshops. (We have
funding to subsidise travel expenses).

1) Survey protocols
 Sampling methods
 Number of site visits
 Sample sizes (power analysis etc)
 Sampling strategies (stratification etc)
 Design of survey forms
(a range of professional consultants will also be canvassed for contributions)

2) Survey management
 Distribution and coordination of workload
 Support structures (local, national)
 Collation of results (website, paper)
 Quality control

3) Training
 Training needs
 Training design
 Training coordination
 Design of survey forms/publicity
 Equipment needs

4) Data flow
 Data collation mechanisms – website?
 Data management
 Verification/validation
 Dissemination to ARGs, LRCs, NBN Gateway etc

If you wish to become involved in any of the working groups, please get in touch with John
Baker (using adder count email address above). In addition, Froglife are currently researching
existing volunteer capacity in the UK, with help from ARG UK, and are examining the likely
availability of potential participants in NARRS. If you know of anyone else you feel might
like to be involved, then please let them know about NARRS and put them in contact with us.

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Update on the drought

In spring the BBC was running a story about the possible effects of the prolonged winter
drought on wildlife and this grew worse until the rain came in time for the school summer
holidays. The problem has not, however, gone away. A team from the Centre for Ecology
and Hydrology have suggested that trees and fish could suffer because of the lack of rain to
replenish water stocks. Despite a reasonable amount of rain since August, water stocks have
still not regained normal levels Whatever happened to the drought?, a BBC update on the
situation, can be read here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5400054.stm

Low rainfall over the past two years has seriously affected water levels in numerous ponds in
South East England. Some ponds that are normally full of water during the amphibian
breeding season barely contained any water at all during the breeding season. Unless rainfall
increases dramatically in winter 2006/7 low water levels may seriously affect amphibian
breeding success in many ponds.

BOOK REVIEW

Atlas of the Amphibians of Cheshire and Wirral

This full colour 48 page, softback book contains sections on conservation, estimating
populations, distribution, amphibians in place-names, amphibian habitats in Cheshire as
well as much more. It is beautifully illustrated with 58 pictures and two maps for each
species showing distribution pre-1990 and 1990 to 2005.

To purchase please contact:

Jonathan Guest, 79a High Street, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 7AN
£9.95 plus £2,00 P+P
Also available from the Natural History Bookshop etc.

YEAR OF THE TOAD IN SUSSEX

It was an excellent year for toads at the

sites where we are involved with record
numbers. At Mallard Drive, for example,
there must have been over 600 toads - I
have never seen it so good and David
Harris saw record numbers at Newhaven.
We are ever hopeful that we will have
more to come next year. We have also
have had lots of reports during the
summer of young toads leaving the ponds
in the above places so all looks good at
the crossings at these two sites, though we
still lack data at other crossings.
Jenny Bacon
SARG Chair and Toad Crossing
Coordinator
Remember to send in your records
Records of reptiles and amphibians in Sussex are
important. So that they can be fully available to
SARG and other conservationists, send them to:
Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre, Woods Mill,
Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD, phone 01273
497554 or 01273 497521. Or e-mail them to
charlesroper@sussexwt.org.uk
To find out more about the Record Centre and its
work, see the website at: www.sxbrc.org.uk
g.uk

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 ** Important information if you intend to volunteer for Sussex
Amphibian & Reptile Group work **
Please read carefully the generic risk assessment, volunteer working agreement
and lone working procedure*. An ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) needs to
comply with these guidelines and each volunteer must complete a volunteer
working agreement to be fully covered by the ARG UK insurance policy.
Each ARG member’s volunteer working agreement needs to be returned to ARG UK so that
they have a record of who is actively volunteering and therefore who needs to be covered.
In return an insurance card will be sent to the volunteer as soon as possible.

If you think that you are likely to volunteer with SARG (on surveys, events etc.) then please
fill in the form and return to Susan Pitcher 30 Becket Road, Worthing, W Sussex BN14 7EX.

If you later decide to come on a survey/event then you can fill one out on the day but ARG
UK would like to know how many volunteers we have. So if you think you will be
volunteering please fill out and return now (you are under no obligation to help out just
because you have filled out a form).

SARG does not encourage lone working. If you think that you need to lone work then please
call a committee member for a copy of the procedure and a form that must be filled out and
complied with to be covered under the insurance.

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 ARG UK Volunteer Working Agreement

Full name: …………………………………………………………………………………………

Name of ARG affiliated to ARG UK: ………………………………………………………….

Contact address: Tel: Mobile:

Email:

Emergency contact:

Special medical needs etc:

 I understand that I am not under any obligation to carry out voluntary work for ARG UK, nor is
ARG UK under any obligation to use my services.
 Voluntary work for my ARG may involve manual work outdoors.
 I am fit and healthy enough to carry out the voluntary work that I will be involved in, and have
informed my ARG of any special requirements.
 I have received sufficient training and/or instructions for the planned activities.
 I understand that I should not do anything that I do not feel qualified to do, and that I should
contact my ARG or ARG UK for further advice and/or training if necessary.
 I understand that I should always obtain the permission of landowners and/or tenants before
entering land to carry out any activities on behalf of my ARG.
 I understand that I should not put others or myself in danger during the course of any voluntary
activities.
 I have read and understood the ARG UK Generic Risk Assessment for working outdoors, and
Lone Working Procedures.
 I understand that the purpose of risk assessment is to remind me of potential risks, and I should
use these to make my own risk assessment(s).
 I understand that I will not be covered by the ARG UK’s insurance unless I sign and return this
form.

Signed: _______________________

Date: ____________

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 Hazard Risk Controls Probability
1 Adders Poisoning, allergic reaction, paralysis Never attempt to pick up adders unless trained and equipped to do so. Take care to Moderate,
look at ground when kneeling or placing hands on ground. Wear stout boots. Take exLow in win
care when lifting refugia or other debris.

2 Assault Physical injury, sexual assault Try to defuse any potentially confrontational situations. If possible walk away. Contac Low
police if unsure or feel threatened. Apply ARG UK lone working procedures.

3 Biological/ stings and bites Diseases, allergic reaction Wear long trousers and long sleeved tops to limit tick bites. Wash hands before eatinModerate
known allergy to stings take appropriate medication on site. If feeling unwell after a si
visit seek medical attention.

4 Cold Hypothermia Wear appropriate clothing. Low/

Moderate
winter

5 Concealed holes/ ditches Physical injury, ankle injuries Take care when walking through areas of deep habitat or areas where there is poor High
footing visibility. Avoid areas of poor footing visibility is possible.

6 Dogs Bites, lacerations, disease Be wary of dogs off leads. Disinfect any bites and seek medical attention. Moderate

7 Estuarine soft sand/ mud Quicksand, slipping Take care with footing when walking on slippery mud. Use a stick or similar to probe Moderate
area being walked. Do not walk out onto estuary alone.

8 Exposure to sun Sun burn Where appropriate sunscreen. Avoid midday sun if possible. High

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9 Hazardous waste/ fly tippingCuts, lacerations, chemical burns, Wear gloves when handling waste. If unsure of contents of containers or if known to Moderate
infection hazardous contact emergency services.

10 Heat and difficult terrain Exhaustion, dehydration Walking difficult terrain will cause extra fatigue in hot weather. Do not rush and drinkLow
plenty of water.
12 Old and partially buried Tripping, ankle injuries Take care when footing is not clearly visible. Look for signs nearby of structures eg, Moderate
structures (eg buried fences partially collapsed fence.

13 Ponds / deep water Drowning Take care when near water bodies. Do not lone work near water bodies. Moderate

14 Sharp grasses and thorny Eye injuries, cuts, lacerations, infectioDo not bend down or kneel in areas of Sharp sea grass or other sharp plants. DisinfecModerate
bushes any lacerations or punctures

15 Sharp objects (eg tins) Cuts, lacerations, infection Take care when picking up any potentially sharp objects. Where gloves if appropriate High
desired.
16 Shooting Physical injury Do not approach any person suspected of carrying a weapon, contact police. If there Low
shooting allowed on site establish where and when shooting will take place and avoid.

17 Steep slopes/ unstable grounPhysical injury, trips, ankle injuries Try to avoid climbing steep slopes. Take care with footing. Moderate

18 Stock Physical injury, trampling Be aware of stock behaviour, if in doubt leave site. Do not take dogs on site. Moderate

19 Tides Becoming cut off from dry land leadinAlways be aware of tide times, carry a tide timetable if working in an area that may beModerate
to possible drowning affected by tides. Allow plenty of time to reach shore. Do not venture out onto a tida
area once the tide is coming in.

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 SARG Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31 December 2005

S. Elsom, Hon. Treasurer

I have checked the above Income and Expenditure Account with the Treasurers books, vouchers and
receipts and confirm them to be in accordance therewith. M J Elliott, Hon. Auditor.

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SARG welcomes three new members to the committee: Rowland Griffin (secretary);
Leila Simpson (minutes secretary) and Alan Drummond (treasurer). We are very grateful
for the enormous amount of work done by the retiring committee members: Dave Harris,
Eileen Harris and Su Pitcher.

SARG Web Site www.safari.com/reptile

SARG Weblog http://sussexamphibianandeptilegroup.blogspot.com

Chair & Toad Crossing Hammonds Green Cottage, Hammonds Green,

Coordinator Framfield, East Sussex
TN22 5QH
Tel: 01825 890236
Jenny Bacon E- mail: Jenny@baconjjgw.fsnet.co.uk

Secretary 42 Stanmer Avenue, Saltdean,

Brighton BN2 8QL
Tel: 07870 3033540r 500412
Rowland Griffin E-mail: rowland-griffin@yahoo.co.uk
Minutes Secretary 20 South Street, East Hoathly,
East Sussex BN8 6DS
Tel: 01825 840714
Leila Simpson E-mail: simpsonaw@btworld.com
Treasurer 27 York Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 5JS
Tel: 01293 535027
E-mail: alan.drummond@riscos.org
Alan Drummond
Surveys Officer Amblehurst, Nevill Road, Crowborough, East
Sussex TN6 2RA
Tel: 01892 663942
Barry Kemp E-mail: barry@viper.demon.co.uk7
Heathland Forum rep & Arlington Hardanger, Littleworth, Partridge Green,
Advisory Committee Rep Horsham, West Sussex RH13 8JF
Tel: 01403 710694
E-mail: irisnalfsimpson@freenet.co.uk
Alf Simpson MBE
SARG Library 9 Kingsway, Seaford ,
East Sussex BN25 2NE
Tel: 01323 492066
Janet Claydon
Events 20 Palehouse Common, Framfield, Uckfield,
East Sussex TN22 5QY
Tel: 01825 890852
Linda Burnham
Newsletter Editor South View, Churchland Lane, Sedlescombe,
East Sussex TN33 0PF
Tel: 01424 870993
Patrick Roper E-mail: patrick@prassociates.co.uk
South East Water The Lodge, Arlington Reservoir, Berwick,
Polegate, East Sussex BN26 6TF
Tel: 01323 870810 Ext23
Emma Goddard E-mail: egoddard@southeastwater.co.uk

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