Colourful Art Snakes Appear in Mendip Hills to Protect Rare Adders 

A unique art project has been launched across the Mendip Hills on World Wildlife Day to raise awareness for the UK’s threatened European Adder.

The ‘Arty Adders’ project, a collaboration between Mendip National Nature Reserve partners, will see colourful wooden adders placed at over 10 nature reserves along the Mendip slopes including Crook Peak, Draycott Sleights and Deer Leap. 

These individually painted wooden snakes, created by participants from the Mendip Nature Connections wellbeing project and National Trust volunteers, each have a QR code allowing visitors to find out more about the rare species. 

The aim is to remind visitors that disturbance to adders during early spring can harm their ability to bask and produce enough energy to breed. Mendip is one of the last UK strongholds for the adder, which has suffered habitat loss and fragmentation. Allowing adders to move to new areas, bask, and mix populations is vital to a healthy gene pool. Adders are protected by law in the UK and it is illegal to intentionally kill or injure them.

Lauren Holt, Area Ranger for the National Trust, explained, “The public have an important role to play in protecting this rare species and there are many things they can do to help. This includes staying on footpaths, following the countryside code and keeping dogs on leads to avoid disturbing them while they are basking.” 

Mhairi Cornish, Nature and Wellbeing Specialist Officer for the Mendip Hills National Landscape, added, “We had an incredible day painting adders – participants gained valuable insights into the importance of protecting these unique creatures. Creativity offers a wonderful way to connect with nature and we’re thrilled to share our artwork with walkers in the Mendip National Nature Reserve – we can’t wait to see them in place.” 

The Arty Adders will remain in place on the key adder nature reserves on the Mendip Hills throughout spring, until after the main breeding season. The project aligns with the Mendip Hills National Landscape Nature Recovery Plan and the National Trust’s strategy to restore nature and inspire more people to care and take action.

More information about the project and the locations of the snakes can be found on the National Trust’s website by clicking here.