Responsible Reptile Watching

Spring is a great time to spot lizards and snakes on our reserves, but it’s important to do so without intentionally disturbing them! Disturbance can be stressful for reptiles, which may then flee, expending energy unnecessarily. This can impact their survival and even reduce their breeding success.

Thankfully we have healthy populations of reptiles at many of our reserves. If you follow our responsible reptile watching tips you should be able to experience these incredible animals without disturbing them.

1. If you spot a reptile, move slowly, this way you are less likely to be perceived as a threat.

2. Keep your distance and don’t pick them up.

3. Don’t lift refugia! You may have spotted metal sheets around our reserves, which reptiles use to warm up, and we use them to survey their populations.

4. Keep dogs on leads – this helps to keep your pets safe too!

5. We have restricted areas designated for reptile research – please adhere to signage and stay out of these areas.