Local toads are to be helped across busy roads on the Island, as part of a national campaign to help save the common toad from disappearing in the region.
With spring arriving and the weather turning milder, volunteers are gearing up to visit the various sites and will carry toads over the busy road to help them reach their breeding ponds on the other side.
Paul White, has said:
“One Toad Patrol has been running for many years, and over this time we’ve rescued thousands of toads. It’s really good fun and great to know that we are helping with the plight of toads in the area.
“We’re eager to get more people volunteering though, and we want to hear from people with an interest in helping an unusual and charismatic amphibian for a few nights this season.”
The common toad – a wonderfully charming amphibian with ‘warty’ skin and waddling gait – is thought to be experiencing declines in the UK, in some cases caused by the effect of road traffic as toads travel slowly back to breeding ponds, often used for generations.
These local volunteers are part of a national campaign named ‘Toads on Roads’, coordinated by the national wildlife charity Froglife, and supported by ARG UK, a national network of volunteer groups concerned with amphibian and reptile conservation. Over the coming weeks, thousands of volunteers across the country will be preparing to help toads across roads in a coordinated effort to help save the common toad from further declines.
Other toad patrols exist in the UK details of which can be found on the Froglife website: www.froglife.org
