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Posts by jerryd: |
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jerryd Member Joined: 06 May 2007 No. of posts: 1  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 06 May 2007
Topic: Smooth snake finding doomed? holiday
Hi all, I just joined this group because I had the idea of going on holiday this summer to see some smooth snakes. I live in Kent and have seen all other UK reptiles except sand lizards and smooth snakes (natterjack toads are rare too I know and also stranglely in the south-west for some reason???). I know they like in the south-west somewhere. But when I read that there may only be 2000 left it seems it may prove difficult. I didn't know either that smooth snakes eat other reptiles which in a weird way means the more smooth snakes there are the less of everything else there will be, I guess. Don't know what the optimal smooth snake population is to keep everyone (reptiles) happy. I have an economics background, not science, but aren't there problems with population sizes if there are only 2000 in it. They may not get enough DNA spread around maybe and all die. Why can't smooth snakes live where other snakes live? In other words why is their (declining) habitat so crucial to their survival and why are they rarer than other reptiles here. What's the chance there's at least 1 smooth snake in Kent? Which hotel do I stay in to have the highest probability of seeing a smooth snake nearly if I go looking? Even though I'm young it seems seeing one could be a lifetimes ambition. I have seen common lizards, adders, grass snakes, slow worms in Kent but would also be interested in knowing any hotspots that have some of these fellers. Folkestone has some adders I seem to remember. Hope someone can help. Jerry |
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