Dorset Wildlife Trust is holding a Reptile Ramble event in Corfe Mullen as the rare heathland animals wake up for spring.
Families are welcomed to join Dorset Wildlife Trust for a morning of snake and lizard activities including a guided trail across Upton Heath – a nature reserve special for being a home to all six species of British native reptile.
The Reptile Ramble event will begin at the Urban Wildlife Centre in Corfe Mullen with a fun quiz and a range of reptile activities designed for all the family to enjoy. From here, families will have the opportunity to venture onto the heath, guided by expert Dorset Wildlife Trust staff, to experience up close and personal the habitat preferred by our resident reptiles.
Snake and lizard themed activity packs will be available to take home to keep the whole family learning about our native reptiles.
Andy Fale, Upton Heath Warden at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “Reptiles are already being spotted out and about on the heathland so now is the perfect time to get families from all over the county enthusiastic about our native snakes and lizards. With lots of fun activities and an opportunity to ramble over the heath in search of some reptiles, the day promises to have something for everyone to enjoy!”
The reptiles that live on Upton Heath are the three British native snakes – adder, grass snake and the rare smooth snake as well as all three British native lizards –common lizard, slow worm (actually a lizard not a worm) and the rarest lizard in the country, the sand lizard. They are present all year round but only emerge when the weather warms up in the spring and April can be the best month for spotting them.
The Reptile Ramble event takes place on Friday 12 April from 10am-1pm at the Urban Wildlife Centre, Beacon Hill Lane, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, BH21 3RX. A donation of £2 is suggested per child and all donations collected on the day will go directly to Dorset Wildlife Trust for nature conservation.
For more information please contact Andy Fale on 01202 692033 or visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events. Photographs by N.Brooks.
