Earlier in July, Steven Allain, who is studying for a PhD in Biodiversity Management at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) on population drivers, demographics and disease in wild snake populations, co-authored four natural history notes in the Herpetological Bulletin, one of the scientific publications produced by the British Herpetological Society.
These articles help increase our understanding of the ecology and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the UK and further afield. In one of these publications, Steven identifies a third population of the introduced Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) of which very little is known. It is hoped that, by identifying this population, further research can be done to establish where the snakes originated and what impacts they are having on native species. Another of the articles recorded the first instance of a newly introduced species of skink to Madeira, after the individual stowed away in a holidaymaker’s bag in late 2019. Again, very little is known about the introduction of Chioninia fogoensis to Madeira, but by bringing this case to light will hopefully lead to some follow-up research.
The last of the four articles records a novel observation of the introduced wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), where an individual was observed predating on the native viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) in Dorset. This interaction is something that has never been documented before in the UK, but was assumed to take place. By recording the diet and interactions of non-native species with native species, we can start to work out whether they pose a significant threat or not. Whilst lockdown was stressful for a lot of us, Steven was busy using writing as a distraction whilst also finding a way to benefit our understanding of the amphibians and reptiles that also call Europe home.
You can read the articles for yourself (although a subscription is required). Due to the number of articles in the summer issue of the Herpetological Bulletin that Steven has contributed to, it has been dubbed ‘The Stevo Special’.