CONSERVATIONISTS are appealing to the public to help them find out how many reptiles and amphibians make their homes in Scotland's wild places.
The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) has launched a project to catalogue sightings of frogs, toads, newts, snakes or lizards to create a new 'atlas' of some of the country's least-studied wildlife.
Following the release of the "The State of Nature" report by the RSPB and Sir David Attenborough earlier this year, there are fears over the fate of many native species as many as 60% of animal and plant species in the UK in decline.
But with many studies on Scotland's most elusive inhabitants now out of date, the ARC is keen to build up a fresh picture of their status in the wild.
Scotland is home to six native species of amphibians including the common frog, common toad, natterjack toad, great crested newt, smooth newt and palmate newt. Three native reptiles are found on land: the common lizard, slow-worm and the adder, although grass snakes have also been reported from several sites and may also be native.
One marine reptile, the leatherback turtle, is occasionally seen in Scottish coastal waters, while two non-native species, the alpine newt and the sand lizard, have become established in the wild.
Pete Minting, Scottish project officer, said: "While we do know about some species from monitoring and modelling their numbers, a great deal of the data is not as up to date as it should be and is either very old or difficult to verify. We are looking for any information that we can get on what's out there."
The natterjack toad is the most endangered of Scotland's amphibians. It dwells in ponds close to the shore on the Solway Firth, which have slowly been eroded by rising sea levels and farming until there are only six sites where it is known to live.
Scottish Natural Heritage is providing funding for the three-year-long study, which is being launched as part of the government's 'Year of Natural Scotland' campaign.
l To record sightings go to www.recordpool.org.uk.
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