In Cornwall, Froglife, a reptile and amphibian conservation charity, is working with partners to explore how the fragmentation of natural habitats affects adder populations.
The project will explore how natural barriers, such as rivers and farmland, and human-made barriers, such as roads, can isolate adder populations.
Froglife said Cornwall had a 7km (4.3 mile) land connection between the River Tamar and the sea, while a second river barrier isolated adder populations on West Penwith. The A30 road also separates the north and south of the county.
A gourp spokesperson said: “This project will look at how Cornwall’s rivers and roads have shaped and separated adder populations.
“Researchers will then compare this with other populations to understand how much this affects adders across Cornwall.
“The findings could also help us understand the impact on adder populations across England. The project will evaluate the genetics of Cornish adders relative to English populations.”
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