Amphibians and Reptiles

The amphibians and reptiles found at Coed Craig Ruperra include:

Common toad (Bufo bufo)

Common frog (Rana temporaria)

Palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus)

Great-crested newt (Triturus cristatus)

Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

Grass snake (Natrix helvetica)

Slow worm (Anguis fragilis)

Although a number of new ponds have been created by volunteers since we purchased the woodland, providing welcome extra habitat, amphibians have always been present in the woods where many of them spend the terrestrial phase of their lives before they migrate to water bodies to breed.

Although some toads breed in our woodland pond, the majority spawn in the small lake by

nearby Ironbridge Cottage.  Every spring, they emerge from their winter hibernacula in the woods and cross the Draethen to Michaelston Road on their way to their breeding site.  Toads cross the road night and day - and will often stop to soak up the heat of its sun-warmed surface. However, the main movement is always after dusk, and numbers can be so great in mid March, that sometimes dozens at a time can be killed by just one car.

In the interests of keeping this population safe, the friends and volunteers of Ruperra often go on a 'Toad Patrol' on damp March evenings to assist these slippery pedestrians safely across the road.

The large woodland pond, which the Trust created in 2006, is home to breeding frogs, toads and palmate newts. More recently it has also been colonised by great-crested newts, and now supports a significant population.  We hope to create more ponds in the future with the aim of increasing the breeding population of this European protected species and making the population more resilient to factors such as climate change.

Ponds are also important to grass snakes and they can sometimes be seen swimming across them in search of an amphibian meal!  You may also come across one basking on a warm secluded path, or hear a gentle rustle as it slithers away into the undergrowth.  Common lizards are also sometimes spotted basking on logs, while slow worms are usually found underneath a discarded piece of wood or rotting bark.

Common frog

Toads crossing the road to reach their breeding site

Strings of toad spawn

Great-crested newts

Young grass snake

Common lizard