RAVON

Info

RAVON - Reptile, Amphibian and Fish Conservation Netherlands

Geschiedenis

RAVON is a NGO with 1500 volunteers and 28 members of staff at the offices in Nijmegen and Amsterdam. We carry out research for a wide variety of clients, giving them advice on species occurring in land and water habitats in locations ranging from building sites to nature reserves.

The Netherlands is densely populated: most of our species are under threat. Our chief aim is to increase the number of sustainable populations of amphibians, reptiles and fish in the Netherlands. Conservation projects often involve working together with other conservationists and universities.

We have a large and constantly growing database (over a million records), the result of monitoring and inventories carried out by both volunteers and staff. We have detailed knowledge on the ecology of the species acquired from scientific research and field work, as well as consulting literature from the extensive collection in our library.

We aim to raise awareness of these not always very popular animals. Our work with these animals and their habitats brings us into contact with conservation organisations, local authorities, the provinces and ministries, as well as the water boards, and members of the public. In the last few years, RAVON has come more and more into the public eye, by the organisation of training courses and excursions, and its other activities. We publish a magazine for our contributors and a newsletter for the volunteers in the field, as well as information leaflets and books.

RAVON is a member of Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). We are also part of the European Pond Conservation Network, and have contributed to the Dutch site www.dutchponds.org.

The activities of working groups concerned with helping toads and other amphibians with their springtime migration can be found on the forum site www.padden.nu (in Dutch).