Snakes and Adders: The decline of the UK’s most iconic reptile

The adder is one of the UK’s six native terrestrial reptile species. It is a shy and secretive snake that inhabits heathlands, woodland edges and open forested areas across most of the UK. Beyond Britain, the adder is one of the most widespread species of reptile on the planet. Vipera berus (or one of its five subspecies) can be found across Europe and Asia as far East as North Korea. Originally described by Karl Linnaeus in 1758, the European adder is an easily identifiable and sexually dimorphic species. Females grow up to around 70cm and are brownish with a dark brown zigzag pattern down their dorsum. Males are slightly smaller, much lighter in colouration (sometimes even appearing grey/white) and far more contrasted. In most cases, their zigzag pattern is an obvious black. Across their entire distribution, population numbers are declining. Here in the UK, habitat fragmentation is the driving force in this decimation. We caught up with Rob Free of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) to discuss what is being done about it….