LOCAL conservation enthusiasts are being asked to strap up their boots and head out onto the Blackdown Hills to survey Britain’s most ‘misunderstood’ reptile.

The Reptile and Amphibian Group for Somerset are looking for volunteers to survey adders and help monitor their distribution in the northern Blackdown Hills over spring.

According to the Woodland Trust, the UK’s adder population is in decline with habitat loss due to ‘intensive agriculture’ thought to be the leading cause.

The Reptile and Amphibian Group for Somerset are hoping to find out whether this applies to the adder population on the Blackdown Hills.

John Dickson, chairman of Reptile and Amphibian Group for Somerset, said: “Adders are declining concerningly fast and we are looking for volunteers to help us survey the adder population over the spring period.

“Over the years we have trained hundreds of volunteers to conduct adder surveys. Once volunteers get introduced to adders in a safe way during the training day, they quickly realise that they are not killer vipers.

“Adders are more frightened of us than we are of them. They are beautiful, shy creatures.”

The last time the group surveyed adders on the Blackdown Hills was in 2021, where volunteers discovered 29 adders within 45 hours of searching across eight sites.

John hopes the surveys will prove that the adder population on the Blackdown Hills is stable.

Surveys will run until May 31 and require at least three visits to the sites.

Training will be held at the Blackdown Hills Healthy Living and Activity Centre in Hemyock, on Saturday, March 14.

A good level of fitness is required and the ability to navigate mud, hills and unmade tracks.

To reserve a slot for the training session, visit blackdownhills.org.uk

For further information, email John Dickson at [email protected]