Volunteers protecting migrating toads on the Isle of Wight have been left frustrated after warning signs were stolen from patrol sites in Adgestone and Shalfleet.
The annual toad migration is widely regarded as one of nature’s wonders because of its scale and spectacle. However, numbers are in decline, with roads and traffic posing a significant threat to the amphibians.
Toads have existed for at least 200 million years, yet modern traffic is having a devastating impact on their survival. Each year, thousands of volunteers across the country – including on the Isle of Wight – give up their spare time to help prevent toads from being run over as they make their way back to their birthplace to breed.
Patrols take place on unlit rural roads, where volunteers equipped with torches, buckets and high-visibility clothing move toads out of harm’s way. The groups receive no funding and must cover the cost of their own equipment, including warning signs placed to alert motorists.
Some drivers are aware of the migration and slow down, stopping when necessary to allow volunteers to safely move toads across the road. Others are unaware of what the signs mean and are taken by surprise when they encounter people in the carriageway.
Concerns have now been raised after a warning sign was stolen from the Adgestone patrol in 2024. A further sign has been taken this year from Shalfleet.
Volunteers say the signs are vital for safety, helping to warn approaching drivers that patrols are underway on dark stretches of road.
