New Forest Reptile Centre

The New Forest Reptile Centre (NFRC) is a reptile centre in the New Forest,[1] about two miles east of Lyndhurst, England. It was established in 1969 by Derek Thomson MBE, a forestry commission keeper, who was also involved in establishing the deer viewing platform at nearby Boldrewood.[2] The centre is reached from the A35. It consists of several small enclosures, in which a selection of reptiles can be seen.[3] NFRC has been featured in the Southern Daily Echo[4] and Scientific American.[5] The Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror both named the Centre one of the best places to nature watch in the United Kingdom.

Enclosures at the New Forest Reptile Centre

Exhibits

The reptiles are contained in circular, concrete-sided enclosures. Exhibits include adders, grass snakes, smooth snakes, frogs and toads. A population of endangered sand lizards are also housed at the centre, as part of a captive breeding and reintroduction programme.[6][7]

For several years, the forestry commission, along with the RSPB have installed nest cameras, which can be viewed on a flat screen TV at the visitor centre.[8] Visitors are able to see live images of the nests of nearby birds of prey.[9][10]

References
  1. Attwooll, Jolyon (3 October 2017). "National Park focus: the New Forest". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  2. "Tributes paid to popular New Forest keeper".
  3. "New Forest Reptile Centre".
  4. Watson, Matt. "Dominik, 9, is just wild about nature". Daily Echo. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. Naish, Darren. "The New Forest Reptile Centre". Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  6. "New Forest Reptiles | the Real New Forest Guide".
  7. "A quarter century of saving sand lizards".
  8. "Details".
  9. "Murder, sibling rivalry and even cannibalism: The New Forest's best live soap opera is back!".
  10. "Third egg for rare bird of prey". BBC. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2020.

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