Reptiles / Amphibians

We do not know why but the success of the frogs and toads varies greatly from year to year. It is about five years since we have had a good spawning season for frogs. Beaver ponds have been demonstrated by the Devon Wildlife Trust to steadily increase frog numbers and we hope that we will see an improvement soon.

Reptiles

Apart from a very few Common Lizards Lacerta vivipara  the farm is devoid of reptiles. Previous owners told us that Adders Vipera beris were present in the 1920s and we have once seen a Slow-worm Anguis fragilis within a kilometre of the farm but that is all. We have been maintaining old brush piles and composting materials when working around the farm, to provide homes for reptiles but we think they will need a helping hand if adjacent populations are too far away to colonise naturally.

Addendum

Since this was written we have seen both adders and slow worms. This is a very positive step forward for our biodiversity and one which we will be attempting to improve further.