Amphibians, more wildlife benefit from new nature reserve

This video from Britain is about smooth newts (Triturus vulgaris).

Dutch RAVON herpetologists report about  a new nature reserve, made in 2009 along the Strijper Aa river in Cranendock local authority in Noord-Brabant province.

Translated from their report:

This is one the richest areas in North Brabant province for amphibians, with nine species living there, including provincially significant populations of spadefoot toad and natterjack toad. Also Alpine newt, smooth newt, common toad, common frog, moor frog, pool frog and edible frog live here. To follow the development of the amphibian populations in 2009 a five-year monitoring project started. …

Not only amphibians benefit from the establishment of the ecological corridor in the area. On the shore of one of the new waters a viviparous lizard was seen, already during the first year. In the waters there are rare plants like lesser marshwort, floating water plantain, fan-leaved water crowfoot, six-stamened waterwort, floating club-rush, water horsetail and marsh St John’s wort. Possibly, they are from the old seed bank of the Pastoorsven [a lake which used to be here]. Red-backed shrikes have nested on the edge of the area and the winter of 2012-2013 brought a great grey shrike wintering in the area. The curlew stayed in the area as well. In addition to more common species like reed bunting and yellow wagtail, skylarks and partridges are breeding there.

The rare southern migrant hawker was seen here in 2011, along with common winter damselfly, Lestes barbarus and scarce blue-tailed damselfly. Besides common butterflies like peacock, whites, gatekeeper and small heath, also the less common Queen of Spain fritillary has been seen foraging in the area.

A more extensive report is here.

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