Flood of pheasants could wipe out Britain’s adders in 12 years

ADDERS could become extinct in Britain within the next 12 years because they are being killed by pheasants, experts have warned.

Britain’s only venomous snake has become increasingly targeted by the game birds, with conservationists claiming that the release of uncontrolled numbers into the countryside is posing a risk to other native wildlife.

Reptile experts say pheasants that survive the annual shooting season, which runs from October to February, are preying on adders, pushing the creatures to the “brink” of extinction.

Once released, pheasants, spread widely across the countryside. Wildlife campaigners argue that they compete with native birds for food and increase the numbers of predators including crows and foxes, which in turn kill rare wildlife. The birds also kill reptiles, swallowing baby snakes whole and pecking at adults.

Although adders are venomous, they cannot fight back against pheasants as they can’t bite through their feathers.

Nigel Hand, a trustee of Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK, who has been studying adders for 20 years, told The Guardian: “The adder is on the brink of extinction in many sites across Britain … and it is the uncontrolled release of millions of pheasants by shooting estates which is pushing it over the brink. At this rate the adder will be extinct over much of its range by 2032, so it is essential we take action now to conserve it.”

The Government is reviewing the release of game birds into the countryside after a legal challenge by the group Wild Justice, cofounded by the Springwatch presenter Chris Packham.

The group recently secured a judicial review into game bird releases, which will be heard in the High Court in November.

Gamekeepers and shooting organisations argue their management of the countryside is what keeps many rare animals alive.