# Toad Patrols



## JaySteel (Jan 28, 2010)

Hi everyone.
During the first two weeks of Spring Toads join in a mass migration to their breeding ponds to mate. This journey is often a long and perilous trip that claims the lives of many Toads as they attempt to cross busy roads. These deaths on Britain's roads are one of the biggest risks that Toads face these days. KRAG is one of many local wildlife and conservation groups that take an active role in trying to reduce these fatalities by organising evening Toad patrols during the 2-4 weeks of migration. Groups of volunteers meet at known highway hotspots for Toad migration and collect and rescue these Toads as they approach the busy roads. The Toads are collected up and given a helping hand by carrying them across the road and releasing them near to their spawning ponds.xexeOf course it's not just toads that are collected. Other amphibians including frogs and newts also migrate at the same time and suffer the same fate, so these are collected too.

Volunteers are asked to give up whatever time they can. Whether it is half an hour a week during the breeding season or 2 hours a night, whenever the weather is suitable, all help is hugely beneficial to local amphibian populations. Volunteers armed with just a bucket, torch and a high-visibilty waistcoat can become actively involved in local conservation and make a real difference. Amphibian numbers have been declining across the UK over the past decade. Amphibians play a vital role in the control of garden pests such as slugs and other insects so without them your gardens would suffer.

The amphibians usually stay at the ponds for a week or two whilst breeding takes place. After which the whole process is reversed. They now disperse and once again need our help to cross back over the busy road and head back to their feeding grounds. Toad patrols have become increasingly popular over the last few years and volunteers now save over 100,000 toads each year. That's a huge number and have a massive impact on the number of amphibians we have in the UK.
There are still many sites across the UK that are unmanned though or are short of helpers, and reports are sent in from members of the public each year reporting roads that have hundreds of squashed toads on them. Could you spare just a little time to help amphibians in your area? 

To find your nearest toad patrol and to get involved simply follow this link and enter your postcode:
Froglife

Alternatively, you can contact your local amphibian and reptile group directly:
Local Groups - ARGUK | ARG UK 



Last night the weather was mild and slightly damp as it has been for the past couple of nights. This is ideal weather for toads to start their mass migration back to their breeding ponds to spawn. The local site that I attended last night has only a small toad population in comparison to larger sites that I have patrolled before. Still with the help of two other volunteers we managed to saved six toads and one frog in a couple of hours. The road that we patrolled has very high kerbs on both sides and without assistance these amphibians simply cannot cross the road to reach their breeding ponds safely. Here are a few photos from last night:


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## Khonsu (May 20, 2009)

And I thought it was just me who liked to lick them :gasp:


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## JaySteel (Jan 28, 2010)

Well if you're prepared to give up your time to rescue the toads then I'm sure they won't mind too much if you give them a quick "lick" before releasing them!

I attended a different Kent site this evening where more volunteers are doing a great job of rescuing amphibians from getting squashed by the traffic. On Sunday evening these volunteers rescued over 250 Toads in just a couple of hours!


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Great job! :2thumb:


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## Khonsu (May 20, 2009)

I doff my cap to the toad patrol :notworthy:

EDIT - not many peeps seem to look on the wildlife section, maybe re-post in the phibs bit ?


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