Blog 11

14 March 2011 Last updated at 16:22 GMT
Thousands of reptiles released in Wiltshire
BBC News UK
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-12733129

Summary

Thousands of heterothermic vertebrates have been relocated to an area far away from their original environment. The transfer of reptiles was necessary because their Essex habitat is going to become a ship terminal. The animals have been brought to a location where the animals can live from day one. The new area has been checked to make sure that there is enough space and food for the animals to survive. At the moment it seems the snakes, lizards and slow worms have settled. However the cold-blooded animals will be monitored for at least another three years.

Opinion

Of course it is wonderful they relocate the heterothermic vertebrates and as they say in the article: ”the animals seem to do fine” One can ask if people realize how difficult it is to tell whether cold-blooded animals are doing well. The problem with animals that adjust to the surrounding temperatures is that they do not show immediately signs of stress, sickness or other malaise. When it shows it is often to late to cure them. Apart from this we do not know yet if the animals will be able to reproduce in their new environment. Monitoring the animals for a few more years will tell us the answer to those questions.