skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Scottish Herpetology Meeting 2011 is designed to bring together researchers, workers and hobbyists involved with amphibians and reptiles throughout Scotland.
The meeting will be held on the 5th November 2011 and is being hosted in the University of Glasgow. PhD student Anna Muir is organising the meeting and is currently researching the impact of climate change on common frogs in Scotland.
“Amphibians and reptiles within Scotland are significantly less understood, researched and actively conserved than elsewhere in the UK,” says Anna. “This meeting aims to engage herpetologists who are endeavouring to address this problem and enable interaction, development of links and cooperation to further amphibian and reptile conservation within Scotland.”
The day will comprise of a series of talks and introductions by a variety of speakers, including Froglife Trustee Professor Roger Downie, followed by discussion groups. The meeting will run from 9.30am until 4pm in the Graham Kerr Building and costs £5 for ARG UK members and students and £10 to others.
Please note that registration will close today (Friday 28th October). Click here to register and for more information.
Looking for some half-term Halloween fun this week? We’ve got some great activities to keep you busy.
Amphibians and reptiles are often (rather unfairly!) associated with Halloween - but if you can’t beat them, join them! Here as some spooky snake suggestions and terrifying toad ideas…
Snake cupcakes
Follow our instructions for some ssssimple but ssssspooky serpentine treats! We’ve used vanilla cupcakes but you could use your favourite flavour if you prefer. For a more Halloween-y look, add some green or orange food-colouring to the cakes. You’ll need tubes of coloured icing to draw on the patterns.
Dangly snake mobiles
Print out this template on to coloured paper or card and decorate to look like one of our native species. Cut out the snake shape and hey presto – a dangly snake to scare people with!
Snake mobile template.
Grass snake bracelets
Did you know you can make a fab grass snake bracelet out of a toilet roll tube and some felt? It’s so easy and is a great accessory to any Halloween costume.
Grass snake bracelet instructions.
Find out more about real snakes.
Origami toads
Toads, like cats, are witches familiars. Follow these instructions to make your own hopping toad out of paper. If you’re having a Halloween party, get all your guests to make a toad and then have a race.
Origami toad instructions.
Colouring in toads
Once you’ve coloured in your toad you could cut it out and stick it on your wall to add to your Halloween decorations.
Common toad picture.
Find out more about real toads.
And don’t forget you can help real amphibians and reptiles at this time of year by creating safe places for them to see out the winter – log piles, rockeries and piles of old leaves and garden debris are great hideaways for all sorts of wildlife. Find out more.
Froglife's work conserving reptiles and amphibians depends upon donations. You can help us protect habitats, save animals and introduce wildilfe to new audiences by contributing your donation here. Every penny is vital!
Froglife will be at Nene Park Trust’s 'Woodlands Day' on Thursday 27th October – why not come and join us?
Held at Ferry Meadows Country Park, Peterborough during the half term week, it’s hoped that the event will draw plenty of families ready to be enthused about wildlife. The main attraction on the Froglife stand will be the wildlife memory board, run by My Wild Life project officer Jodie Coomber. “We’re hoping to collect childhood wildlife memories from the public and encourage them to join in with reminiscence sessions running throughout the day” says Jodie. “We’ve got some special items to remind people of their childhood adventures with wildlife and we hope parents and grandparents will bring the kids along and pass down their memories.”
Froglife will be running other activities throughout the day for young and old, including making origami frogs and snake bracelets, and playing wildlife games. Froglife experts will also be on hand with tips to make your garden pond perfect for wildlife and provide answers to your reptile and amphibian queries.
Other activities on the day include chainsaw carving, woodcrafts and demonstrations for all ages based on the theme of wood, woodlands and wildlife. There’ll also be archery, a climbing wall, ferret roulette, the CBBC Live ‘n’ Deadly trail, bushcrafts, a tree climbing demo and more!
Come along and join in the fun between 11am and 3pm. Check http://www.neneparktrust.org.uk/ for details. Free admission and free car parking, but there may be a charge for some activities.
Find out more about our My Wild Life project.
You can help support Froglife's work engaging people of all ages in looking after the natural world by becoming a Froglife Friend from just £1.50 a month. Click here to find out more.
