Non-Native species in the UK

[Berber King]

Originally Posted by stuartdouglas

seriously, red diamond rattlers? breeding in this country? and no-one's heard of it?

Only a few people do know about it,i was told in confidence and prob shouldnt have posted on a public forum but the location will never be revealed.They are on a piece of private land,away from habitation-and will probably continue to remain unmolested and doing no harm-apart from to the local rodent population.

[gtm]

What about boids? I regularly see Parakeets in my local park.

[Akua_Ko_Nalu]

Originally Posted by bradhollands999

Melanistic Leopards, Cougars and other small felines.

He's right, there is a Melanistic Leopard/Panther living in the New Forest area out the front of my house.

I've seen it once, a friend has seen it once, and another person down the road has seen it once.

[bradhollands999]

Originally Posted by Akua_Ko_Nalu

He's right, there is a Melanistic Leopard/Panther living in the New Forest area out the front of my house.

I've seen it once, a friend has seen it once, and another person down the road has seen it once.

I sense sarcasm...

[bradhollands999]

Oh and there are supposed to be wild Corn snakes somewhere in Essex...

[Akua_Ko_Nalu]

Originally Posted by bradhollands999

I sense sarcasm...

No no, I'm deadly serious. We've all discussed things, as it's only been glimpses, but we're positive it, or something very similar is out there.

I mean, there's plenty of livestock around in my area, so it's not short of food.

[bradhollands999]

Originally Posted by Akua_Ko_Nalu

No no, I'm deadly serious. We've all discussed things, as it's only been glimpses, but we're positive it, or something very similar is out there.

I mean, there's plenty of livestock around in my area, so it's not short of food.

I'm pretty sure they're out there...

[Barney_M]

fire salamanders i think

[Matt Harris]

According to Schedule 9 of the WCA 1981, the only non-native herps listed as ‘established’ in the wild in the UK are:-

Scientific name / English name / Year scheduled

Reptiles
Elaphe longissima, Aesculapian snake 1992
Emys orbicularis, European pond terrapin 1981
Podarcis muralis, Common waII lizard 1981

Amphibians
Alytes obstetricans, midwife toad 1981
Bombina variegata, YelIowbeIlied toad 1981
Hyla arborea, European tree-frog 1981
Rana esculenta, Edible frog 1981
Rana ridibunda, Marsh, frog 1981
Triturus alpestris, Alpine newt 1981
Triturus carnifex, Italian crested newt 1992
Xenopus laevis, African clawed frog clawed toad 1981

Excuse the out of date scientific names.

A review of this schedule has recently been out to consultation, but the results aren’t out yet. No herps were proposed for addition to, or removal from, this list as part of this consultation, but many of us will have pointed out the Lacerta bilineata on Boscombe cliffs, many ‘Common’ wall lizards will actually be Italians (P.sicula) and many of the ‘green frog' complex will be Albanian, Balkan, Iberian etc green frogs

According to Nick Arnold’s Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe, which is a well-regarded text, species that have survived for at least 25 years in wild or semi-wild conditions include all of the above plus the American bullfrog and Lacerta viridis

[neep_neep]

Originally Posted by pollywog

Rana Lessonae are native and have been re-introduced to the UK.

Depends on which group of Rana lessonae (now Pelophylax lessonae) that is being referred to, as in Britain there are two genetically distinct populations.

The populations originally inhabiting East Anglia are considered to have been native populations (which was presumed extinct in 1995), and part of a 'northern clade' of Pool Frog. These animals are very similar to populations in Norway and Sweden, and are now subject to a species recovery programme in East Anglia using individuals from Sweden.

However, Pool Frogs in the South of England are genetically far closer to those populations found in Central Europe, and as such are considered 'non-native'