The authorities have warned people against disrupting or lifting up tin sheets providing shelter for legally protected reptiles on Dorset's heaths.

Dorset Wildlife Trust and Amphibian and Reptile Conservationhave said that disturbing these shelters could equate to breaking the law. Wildlife experts and conservationists often leave pieces of tin or sometimes roofing felt on the Dorset heathland and other wildlife sites allowing reptiles to use as shelter and also for conservation survey and monitoring work.

They said that the lifting or removing these tins should only be moved by those permitted by the authorities. They pointed out that the a lot of lifting can cause enough disturbance for reptiles to flee the area completely. Experts noted that all six native reptiles can be found onDorset Wildlife Trust'sUpton Heath in Corfe Mullen. These include smooth snake, adder and grass snake, the common lizard, slow worm and the UK's rarest lizard, the sand lizard.

Senior reserves manager for ARC, Gary Powell said, "Understanding the distribution of reptiles is an important part of being able to conserve them. If tins are disturbed outside of an official survey then it can affect the results of the research, as animals will not remain under the tin once it has been lifted. We are concerned for the safety of both humans and animals, as adders also utilise tins and although they are non-aggressive, they may bite if they feel threatened."