The conservation work of Toad Patrollers – volunteers who are tasked with assisting and recording amphibians across the road to reach their mating grounds in ponds, is highlighted in an article published on The Conversation, written by Dr Becky Thomas, Senior Lecturer in Ecology in the Department of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway.
Scientists are better informed of the threat roads pose to toad populations. Allan Staley/Alamy Live News
Early spring is the start of the breeding season for common toads (Bufo bufo). A warm, wet evening is the perfect cue for males to embark for a pond where they hope to find a mate. Females usually arrive a few weeks later, but they only stay long enough to mate and spawn.
Toads are equipped for the journey to their breeding ponds, but they are not built to withstand the obstacles and barriers that people have put in their way. The natural world has been split apart by roads - Britain has 247,800 miles of road, on which 20 tonnes of toad is estimated to be squashed each year.
During February and March, Toad Patrol groups head out after dark with buckets and florescent jackets to stand on roads across the UK. Toad Patrollers record the numbers of toads and other amphibians they help across the road, how many they see killed, the number of days patrolled and the number of Patrollers patrolling. This helps scientists understand whether any changes in recorded toad numbers are not just a result of more people submitting data, while tracking migration patterns and population numbers nationally.
Dr Becky Thomas’ article concludes:
“Mr Toad from Wind in the Willows may have enjoyed zooming around in his sports car, but reckless driving on rural roads is causing real toads to decline. With ever smaller populations, toads need all the help they can get to ensure that adults arrive at their breeding ponds safely.”
You can read the full article published on The Conversation on 11 March here:
Toad patrol volunteers are ensuring frisky amphibians can cross the road to reach their mating grounds
Dr Becky Thomas is a member of the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour and her research interests focus on the conservation biology and ecology of birds and mammals, specifically in how people's decisions affect the ecology of wild species.
The Toads on Roads project is one way you can help support toads. See if there is one near you.
