The European adder, Vipera berus, is one of Britain’s most iconic animals, important to both natural and cultural heritage. However, recent studies show that adder populations are in widespread decline. The Make the Adder Count Survey monitored 260 adder sites across the UK and the results suggest that all small adder populations could be extinct by 2032. An International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessment of amphibians and reptiles by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) also indicates that, in England, adders are now vulnerable to extinction.

Despite their importance and their vulnerable status, little is known about adder populations in the North Pennines. Adders Up is a three-year project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Northumbrian Water Branch Out Fund to develop new insights into adder populations across the North Pennines National Landscape and beyond.