Herpetologist

Amphibian and reptile specialist

A herpetologist is an expert on amphibians and reptiles. He is responsible for the proper execution of the investment, i. e. in accordance with the principles of environmental protection. The safety of these creatures is the specialist’s top priority. He starts his work at the beginning of March, when amphibians wake up from hibernation. In spring, he mainly inventories and evaluates breeding reservoirs and monitors migrations. The next period of intensive work is autumn – the time of migration to the hibernaculum.

Herpetologist – basic responsibilities

He is one of the most important specialists needed for road investments. This expert decides on which section should be prepared for herpetological fences and in what periods the environmental supervision should be carried out. He also indicates where animal passes should be built. Apart from road investments, the herpetologist performs ecological surveys of herpetofauna of selected areas. These may be areas designated for investment or nature assessments of valuable areas such as nature reserves or Natura 2000 sites.

Why is the work of a herpetologist so important?

It is important to be able to skilfully identify conflict areas before a project starts.  Based on this information, conservation measures and methods can be specified that will prevent the decline of a particular species. Any professional who puts nature conservation first knows that a properly compiled inventory provides a lot of useful information. This data, when properly processed, makes it possible to plan a whole strategy of actions regarding the protection of reptiles and amphibians, as well as habitats, already at the stage of investment implementation.

Under what conditions does a herpetologist work?

The reptile and amphibian expert is most often found in wetlands, near bodies of water. This is where these animals can be found. Herpetologists have cartographic materials at their disposal, which allow them to specify the potential sites to be analysed. Before starting the study, our specialist gets acquainted with the area, so that during the analysis he can move around it efficiently.