Reptiles and Amphibians
Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP)
RAARP is a program coordinated by the NH Fish and Game Nongame & Endangered Wildlife Program where volunteers report sightings of reptiles and amphibians from spring peepers to snapping turtles. These reports are extremely valuable to biologists.
Observations are used to determine the distribution of all reptiles and amphibians within New Hampshire. Reports of less common species are very important. Verified reports of rare species locations are mapped and stored in a database used for land protection and conservation purposes. Reports should be accompanied by a clear photograph whenever possible. To be added to the spring mailing list, please contact the NH Fish and Game Wildlife Division: (603) 271-2461 or email wildlife@wildlife.nh.gov. RAARP participants must obey all local, state, and federal laws while collecting reptile and amphibian location data. Observers are advised to get landowner permission before going onto private property.
Three Ways to Report Your Sightings:
- Wildlife Sightings
- Email Submission Form
- Print and Mail: Mail-in Reporting Form
- Vernal Pool Documentation Manual and Reporting Form
Tools for RAARPers:
- FAQs: Frequently asked RAARP questions
- Keys to the Amphibians & Reptiles of New Hampshire
- How to Photograph Amphibians and Reptiles
- Reporting New Hampshire Reptile & Amphibian Sightings
- The Early Spring Amphibians and Reptiles
- Tips on Field Techniques
Newsletters:
- Spring 2017 Letter & 2016 RAARP Summary
- RAARP Report Archives:
Other Reptile and Amphibian Links and Resources:
- North American Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Program
- Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
- Northeast Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NEPARC)
- Frog Call Quiz Page from U.S. Geological Survey
- The Vernal Pool Association
The Thrill of the Hunt
Herp hunting is a fun way to connect kids with nature. From NH Wildlife Journal
New Hampshire Reptile & Amphibian Information:
- List of Amphibians and Reptiles of New Hampshire
- Rules and Regulations for Reptiles and Amphibians in New Hampshire
- Eastern Hognose Snake – NH State Endangered This is a native harmless snake and should never be harassed or injured
- HAVE YOU SEEN ME? Marbled Salamander
- Protect the Timber Rattlesnake
- What to do if you find an injured turtle
- Turtle nesting season - help them survive the migration!
Reptile & Amphibian Research in NH:
- Decline of an isolated timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) population: Interactions between climate change, disease, and loss of genetic diversity, 2011.
- Amphibians at alpine ponds in the White Mountains, Jones & Smyers, 2010
- Effects of landscape composition, habitat features, nest distribution on predation rates of simulated turtle nests, Marchand & Litvaitis, 2004
- Habitat features and landscape composition on population structure of aquatic turtles, Marchand & Litvaitis, 2004
- Stage-specific and interactive effects of sedimentation and trout on a headwater stream salamander, Lowe et al.,
2004 - Linking dispersal to local population dynamics: case study using a headwater salamander system, Lowe, 2003
- Local and landscape-scale predictors of salamander abundance in NH headwater streams, Lowe & Bolger,
2002 - Comparison of two methods to sample snake communities in early successional habitats, Kjoss & Litvaitis, 2001
- Community structure of snakes in human-dominated landscape, Kjoss & Litvaitis, 2001
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