The annual joint BHS and Thames and Chiltern's Herpetological Group Autumn meeting on Sunday 12th October was enjoyed by around 70 people, of all ages and herpetological interests
Amersham 2025 Program
Held in the excellent venue of the Community Centre within the Chilterns Lifestyle Centre, the meeting featured four varied and interesting talks on topics ranging from smooth snake status and conservation in the UK to in situ research on Parson's chameleon in Madagascar. A number of research posters were displayed, along with herpetological photographs and merchandise. The inimitable Professor Mark O'Shea also attended with a couple of tables displaying and selling his ever expanding range of excellent books!
Professor Richard Griffiths presented a talk on the remarkable naturalist Dr.Robert Stebbings - who compiled a tremendous amount of data on a local grass snake population close to where he lived over a period of several years from the end of the 1950s into the start of the 60s. For a number of reasons this potentially very valuable data had never been published or made publicly available - until now! A report on this data has now finally been produced and published as OA on the BHS website - 'Natural History of the Barred Grass Snake Natrix helvetica: Insights from a Study in Southern Britain 1958–1962' BHS Report No 6
It was great to see some younger herpetologists at the meeting - which meant a very wide age range across the attendees, exactly what we hope for when staging this family friendly event. A more detailed report on the meeting will appear in a future edition of the Natterjack, the Society periodic newsletter.