New reptile habitats created in Suffolk country park to protect local animals from construction
They'll provide reptiles and amphibians with a safe place to stay
New habitats have been created at a Suffolk country park to help reptiles which may need to be relocated from a nearby housing development.
Work's currently underway to build a housing development at Woods Meadow in Oulton Broad,
To prevent any creatures found on the site coming to harm, a series of new homes at Woods Meadow Country Park have been created so the reptiles and reptiles can be relocated.
The artificial habitats, known as ‘hibernacula’, will provide reptiles and amphibians with a safe place to stay, bask and feed and will increase the biodiversity of the country park.
Cllr Rachel Smith-Lyte, East Suffolk’s cabinet member for the Environment said: “Woods Meadow Country Park was created for the benefit of both wildlife and people living nearby with a wonderful green space to enjoy, as well as offering opportunities for learning and volunteering.
"The new hibernacula will help mitigate the habitat loss caused by the housing development and will help the country park continue to meet its objectives of providing a home for wildlife.
"These habitats will also enable visitors to the park to learn more about reptiles and amphibians."
One of the shelters comprises a log pile placed on top of rubble and covered with subsoil. This will eventually become overgrown and provide an excellent place for reptiles and amphibians to overwinter and to catch the sun to allow reptiles to bask.
The other two habitats consist of piles of rubble topped with a thick layer of subsoil. In the depths of these, and under the layers of soil, cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians will be able to keep warm during their autumn and winter hibernation. In the summer, the south-facing side will offer a place to bask and hide from predators.