Timing of surveys:

• initial site suitability survey - can be carried out at any time of year and may be undertaken as part of a PEA;
• presence/absence reptile surveys – March to October inclusive, although the best months to detect presence are generally March to June and in September; and
• additional surveys - if reptiles are identified during the presence/absence survey it may be necessary to carry out further specialist or population determination surveys.

Mitigation for reptiles may involve sensitive clearance of a site proposed for works, including strimming vegetation down low to encourage reptiles out of the working area. Specialist reptile fencing can then be erected to stop reptiles from moving back into a cleared area. For large areas, it may be necessary to trap and translocate reptiles off the site to another site that has suitable habitat or has been enhanced for this group of animals.

Legislation

Common lizard, slow worm, adder and grass snake are afforded protection under Schedule 5 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act (WCA) (as amended) making it illegal to kill or injure these animals. Sand lizard and smooth snake are protected under the WCA 1981 (as amended) and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, making it illegal to kill, injure, capture, disturb or handle these animals. Areas they use for shelter, resting, breeding and protection are also protected from being damaged or destroyed and it is also illegal to obstruct these animals from using these areas.