Scales and warts survey
Please send your sightings of any adders, common lizards or common toads you see when out and about. By doing this you can help us find out:
- Whether the distribution of these species is changing over time.
- Whether the timing of events, such as emergence from hibernation or breeding, is changing over time.
- Whether these changes are related to shifts in the climate.
For help and more information about identification and conservation, you can visit:
How to take part
1. If you see any of the species, make a note of how many you saw, when and where. Try to give as much information as possible about where it was so we can get an accurate location. We are interested in sightings from anywhere, not just moorland habitats.
If you see an adder or a lizard look to see if it is an adult or a juvenile (the postcard has details of how to tell these life stages apart). If you see a toad, record how many you saw and whether or not it is in a pond or waterbody. If you find toadspawn, you don't need to count individual spawn strings.
Finally, try and take a photo if it is possible to do so without getting too close or disturbing the animal. This will help us to verify your sighting.
Optionally you can download and print a postcard (by clicking the image below) to remind you what to look for when you're out and about. You can also use our Explore Moor smartphone/tablet app (for Apple and Android) to help to identify species in the field.
2. Submit your sightings.
Login to iRecord then... Submit your sighting via our iRecord survey page
Please note: to submit a sighting you'll need to login to iRecord. If you don't have an account you'll need to create one the first time you visit. Full instructions about how to create an account and submit your sighting can be found in this PDF.
Disturbance
It is important to take care of yourself, the environment and any animals you encounter. These species are sensitive and adders are venomous. They are all protected by law. Please do not handle any animals you encounter, and take care not to get too close to them or behave in any way which could disturb or distress them.
This survey has been developed in consultation with Derbyshire Amphibian and Reptile Group (DARG), and the Sheffield Moors Partnership.
Privacy and safety information
The information submitted using this form will be added to the relevant Moors for the Future survey database held by the Biological Record Centre. Your contact information may be shared with verifiers who will only contact you if they have a query about the data you have submitted. The biological record, excluding your name and email address, will be publicly visible and may be shared with other conservation organisations and databases. If you have opted in to join our mailing list you will receive updates by e-mail about the partnership and our projects. Your information will be held securely by Moors for the Future Partnership and will not be shared with any third parties. You can opt-out of receiving information at any time using the link in the footer of our communications. You can find out more about how we use your information from our Privacy Notice which is available on our website at http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/looking-after/about-us/privacy-policy
Please note: While carrying out this survey you do so entirely at your own risk. Moors for the Future do not accept any liability or responsibility for the well-being of surveyors or damage/loss of their property. Download our Health and Safety Guidelines here.
