Fauna of Scotland
Only six amphibians and four land reptiles are native to Scotland. The amphibians include three species of newt: the great crested, of which fewer than 1,000 individuals survive; the smooth, and the palmate. The other amphibians are the common toad, the natterjack toad, found in only four locations in the south-west, and the common frog. A single alien amphibian is known in Scotland, the Alpine newt, a recent escapee confined to the Edinburgh area.
Fontburn
The presence of four British reptiles; common lizard, adder, slowworm, and grass snake, and five of Britain’s native amphibians; common frog, common toad, smooth newt, palmate newt, and great crested newt mean that this an extremely valuable and important wildlife site. The grass snake records for Fontburn make this one of the most northerly authenticated colonies of this species in Britain.