Amphibian and Reptile Conservation has published a new guidance document, Creating hibernation sites for reptiles, providing practical, evidence-informed advice to help land managers support adders and other reptiles through the winter months. This guidance was published as part of the New Forest Species Survival fund. 

Hibernation sites, also known as hibernacula, are critical features for reptile survival, offering shelter from cold temperatures and enabling populations to persist within landscapes year after year. However, these features are often overlooked, poorly understood, or lost through habitat change and inappropriate management.

The use of artificial hibernation sites for reptiles remains relatively understudied. This new guidance highlights what reptile hibernation sites are, how to identify them in the field, and when and how new sites may be created. The guidance is based on a combination of peer-reviewed research, technical reports and on-the-ground experience, drawing where possible on studies of British reptiles and supplementing them with relevant international evidence. While the document has a particular focus on adders, the principles and recommendations are relevant to a range of reptile species and habitats across the UK.

 

 An adder basking in the sun across protected heathland, highlighting the importance of conserving Britain’s fragile wild spaces. <Photo:ARC>

 

‘Creating hibernation sites for reptiles’ is aimed primarily at nature reserve managers, landowners and conservation practitioners. It provides:

· Explanations of how reptiles use hibernation sites and why these features are so important

· Guidance on identifying existing adder hibernacula and avoiding accidental damage

· A step-by-step approach to creating new hibernation sites where appropriate

· Advice on managing the surrounding habitat to maintain long-term suitability

· An overview of common threats to hibernation sites, including habitat change and climate pressures

· Information on monitoring adders and other reptiles to help inform conservation action

Importantly, the guidance emphasises that creating new hibernacula is not always necessary. Protecting and managing existing features and the high-quality surrounding habitat is often the most effective approach.

ARC hopes the document will not only support better-informed habitat management and encourage sensitive approaches to protecting hibernation sites but also highlight the need for continued monitoring and research to strengthen the evidence base around reptile hibernation.

We intend this guidance to be practical and useful for those working on the ground. We welcome feedback, suggestions and queries from readers, particularly where experience from site management or monitoring could help inform future updates or refinements to the guidance. If you would like to submit any feedback, please send it to [email protected].

We are very grateful to the Species Survival Fund for making this work possible. This project is funded by the Government's Species Survival Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

 

 

Creating Hibernation Sites for Reptiles pamphlet text and design are licensed under CC BY 4.0. Images are not covered by this licence and are used with permission.