Lizards, slow worms and grass snakes
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud
Apparently, in Kent, these are protected species, so allotments cannot, in theory, be sold off or redeveloped if these creatures are known to live there. I know we have the first two, while a very old ex-plot holder actually left because of the presence of the third, so we are all right. (Famous last words...). Any of you others out there have similar exotic residents?
Perhaps someone ought to go looking for them in that allotment that they are proposing to do away with in the preparations for the Olympics - personally I think allotments ought to be Protected at all costs.
We have grass snakes. I haven't personally seen panthers, but there have been quite a lot of reported sightings in this area, including one small boy in Trellech who came rushing to his mum saying a big black cat had bitten him when he pulled its tail. "Aaah, diddums, don't tease animals" but at bedtime she saw the bite mark, with one row of teethmarks across the top of his head and the other round the bottom of head just above the neckline! That made it into our local paper. I have seen one estimate that there could be 250+ panthers in the Welsh border area.....
Alison.
We have grass snakes. I haven't personally seen panthers, but there have been quite a lot of reported sightings in this area, including one small boy in Trellech who came rushing to his mum saying a big black cat had bitten him when he pulled its tail. "Aaah, diddums, don't tease animals" but at bedtime she saw the bite mark, with one row of teethmarks across the top of his head and the other round the bottom of head just above the neckline! That made it into our local paper. I have seen one estimate that there could be 250+ panthers in the Welsh border area.....
Alison.
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Barry, a couple of years ago there had been several sightings of a Black Panther in Beds and Bucks. One of the blokes came running up to me, saying he had seen a Black Panther at the top of our allotments earlier in the morning.
Being a none believer, i just dissmissed the idea out of hand.
But it wasn't till a couple of days later, when i was up the top end of the allotments, that i noticed these really deep scratch marks at about six foot up an oak tree, i'm not sure what made them but they were pretty deep and long.
But until i see one myself i'm going to stay a none believer.
Being a none believer, i just dissmissed the idea out of hand.
But it wasn't till a couple of days later, when i was up the top end of the allotments, that i noticed these really deep scratch marks at about six foot up an oak tree, i'm not sure what made them but they were pretty deep and long.
But until i see one myself i'm going to stay a none believer.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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peter
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Locally we had an area with slow worms, housing development was permitted if the slow worms were re-located. Yes and there are vene firms specialising in doing that. 
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Hi Barry,
The Lizards and the Slow Worm are both protected nationally I think but Grass Snakes are not and they are a lot more common that you might imagine.
I have Slow Worms and plenty of Grass Snakes but the Lizards are not in this neck of the woods sadly.
I always lay down sheets of old Corrugated Iron, raised by a brick in each corner with a few chunks of rock on top to keep it in place, in the orchard and the SW and GS congregate under there especially in hot summers like we have just had. We used to get Adders as well but they were removed from my place and taken to a more apt location. This was undertaken by the County Trust for Nature.
I have only been bitten by a Grass Snake once and that was because I inadvertently knelt on the tip of his tail. Adding to my misdemeanour I picked it up and slung it over the hedge into the crop and then immediately regretted my rather foolish action.
OH,
May I respectfully suggest that you take more water with it. Probably Squirrel damage?!!!
JB.
The Lizards and the Slow Worm are both protected nationally I think but Grass Snakes are not and they are a lot more common that you might imagine.
I have Slow Worms and plenty of Grass Snakes but the Lizards are not in this neck of the woods sadly.
I always lay down sheets of old Corrugated Iron, raised by a brick in each corner with a few chunks of rock on top to keep it in place, in the orchard and the SW and GS congregate under there especially in hot summers like we have just had. We used to get Adders as well but they were removed from my place and taken to a more apt location. This was undertaken by the County Trust for Nature.
I have only been bitten by a Grass Snake once and that was because I inadvertently knelt on the tip of his tail. Adding to my misdemeanour I picked it up and slung it over the hedge into the crop and then immediately regretted my rather foolish action.
OH,
May I respectfully suggest that you take more water with it. Probably Squirrel damage?!!!
JB.