Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK

 

ARG UK is a partner in this project coordinated by Pond Conservation.

To provide guidance on the creation of 'clean water ponds' Pond Conservation has produced the Pond Creation Toolkit.

 

UK Chytridiomycosis Survey - Frog Swab

In 2008 Natural England, the Institute of Zoology (IoZ), The HCT, the Countryside Council for Wales and Scottish Natural Heritage are jointly working on a chytrid screening project.  In brief:

• Chytrid is a fungus known to have infected and caused declines in some amphibian species in different parts of the world.
• Chytrid has been found in both native and non-native amphibians at a small number of sites the UK.
• We do not know whether chytrid is widespread in the UK.
• We do not whether, or how, it will affect our amphibians.

Over the 2008 field season ARGs, NARRS participants and other volunteers took samples from nearly 6,000 amphibians.

Update from Andrew Cunningham (IoZ), September 2008.

Find out more about chytrid and chytridiomycosis:

• Amphibian Ark

• The HCT

• The Institute of Zoology

• News story: effect of bacterium on chytrid