It follows a Facebook post declared a dog walker at The Lawns, Sutton, said her dog was bitten by an adder, Britain’s just poisonous snake.
It is presently adders’ breeding season – they hibernate from October to March, however begin to become the weather condition gets warmer.
While the types are not aggressive, the animals might bite if they feel threatened.
Their bite is hardly ever deadly to human beings, although adder bites have actually killed dogs in many cases.
However, the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said there have actually been no proven sightings of adder in the county for “almost 20 years” and it is “likely they are locally extinct”, putting at ease the county’s lots of dog walkers and nature fans.
Erin McDaid, trust head of interactions, said: “While we don’t doubt this incident was distressing, we’re a little confused and concerned about the bite being attributed to an adder, as there have been no verifiable sightings of adder in the county for almost 20 years.
“Despite this, there have been a number of reported adder bites in the headlines over the past few years and we’re concerned this might cause unnecessary panic among dog owners and families visiting green spaces.
“Whilst The Lawns is a sizable park, and not too far from Sherwood Forest habitat where adders would be most likely to be found, it is in quite a built-up area, making it even more unlikely that whatever bit or stung the the dog was an adder.”
To help determine the snakes, the trust has actually motivated individuals to take images.
Mr McDaid said: “Adders are a natural part of our landscape and should be present in Nottinghamshire, but sadly it looks likely they have become locally extinct. If people do think they’ve seen one, it would be helpful to take photos with their phone.
“While adders are venomous, the chances of being bitten are extremely small, and in most cases bites pose no real risk.
“As with any bite or sting, there is always a possibility of an adverse reaction and we’d always encourage people to seek medical advice if they have concerns – but we wouldn’t want people to be scared of native wildlife unnecessarily.”
