Can the UK's Common Toads Survive from Roads and Population Collapse?

It is a Friday evening at 7:30, but rather than heading to the pub or relaxing at home, I've taken a train to a town in Wiltshire to join local helpers from a toad patrol. These dedicated individuals sacrifice their evenings to protect the local toad population.

A Worrying Drop in Numbers

The common toad is growing more rare. A recent study led by an wildlife conservation group revealed that the UK toad population have almost halved since 1985. Observing a species that has been a stalwart of the British countryside in decline is described as "worrying" by researchers. Toads "don't need very particular environments" and "should be able to live successfully in most of areas in the UK," meaning if even they are struggling to persist, "it kind of suggests that things are not as they should be."

The UK toad population has almost halved since 1985

The Danger from Roads

Though the research didn't examine the causes for the drop, cars certainly plays a part. Estimates suggest that 20 tonnes of toads are crushed on UK roads annually – in other words, several hundred thousand. In contrast to frogs, which might be happy to mate "with just a small container," toads prefer large ponds. Their capacity to remain away from water for more time than frogs allows they can travel further to find them – often long distances. They tend to stick to their traditional paths – it's common for mature amphibians to return to their natal pond to mate.

Breeding Habits

Fittingly, the first toads begin their quest for a partner around February 14th, but some move as far as spring, until it gets night and moving after sunset. During that period, toads begin migrating from wherever they have been hibernating "almost simultaneously."

A local helper, who was raised in the region and has been trying to protect its toad population since he was a child, explains that "Their sole purpose: to go and mate." If their path crosses a road, they could all get run over, and that breeding season would be lost – preventing a next generation of toads from being born.

Toad Patrols Across the United Kingdom

Finding hundreds of toad carcasses on nearby streets "inherently strikes a chord with people," and has led to the formation of rescue teams throughout the UK – hundreds of organizations are currently registered with a countrywide program. These teams pick up toads and carry them over streets in buckets, as well as counting the quantity of toads they encounter and advocating for other safety solutions, such as road closures and underground wildlife tunnels.

Patrols tend to operate during the migration season, when toad crossings are frequent. However, this implies they can miss numbers of toadlets, which, having existed as spawn and then juveniles, leave their water habitats over an irregular timetable in late summer. Because of their size – just a couple of cm wide – "they are destroyed by car traffic." And as being run over "essentially crushes them," it's more difficult to collect information on them. At least when adult toads are killed, their remains can be tallied.

Annual Efforts

Unlike many groups, a specific volunteer group, who are in their eighth year of functioning, go out throughout the year – not nightly, but when weather are damp, or if someone has posted about a amphibian spotting in their group chat. When I ask to join them on duty, they admit it is "not ideal conditions" – toad hibernation season has begun and it's been a dry day – but a few of the volunteers willingly accept to patrol their area with me and search for any toads. "If anyone can find any toads tonight, that pair will find one," says the group coordinator, pointing to her teenage child and the longtime volunteer. After for 120 minutes without a glimpse of any amphibians, and now they have scaled a wire barrier to check under some wood.

Community Participation

The mother and son became part of the patrol a while back. The youngster adores all things nature-related and has an goal to become a environmentalist, so his parent started to look for activities they could do jointly to protect native animals. Now she enjoys it as much as he does, the 41-year-old entrepreneur explains – so when the team was looking for a fresh coordinator recently, she volunteered for the role.

The youth, too, has been instrumental in the group. A clip he made, urging the local council to close a street through a protected area during migration season, influenced the outcome the team's way. After a twelve months of lobbying, the authority agreed to an "restricted access" rule between evening and morning from February through to spring. Most drivers respected and avoided the route.

Additional Species and Difficulties

A few cars go by when I'm out on duty and we find some victims as a result – no toads, but several crushed salamanders. We spot one living newt as well, and the teenager is especially excited to see a daddy longlegs, which dances in his palms. Yet despite the group's best efforts to show me a toad, the local population has clearly gone dormant for the colder months. It appears that I wouldn't have had any more luck elsewhere in the nation – all the rescue teams I contact explain that it's near-impossible at this time of year.

This team anticipates assisting around ten thousand mature toads over the street

One email I receive from another volunteer, who has generously made the effort to look for toads in a noted location, considered the largest accurately monitored toad population in the UK, arrives in my inbox with the subject line: "No toads." However, in late winter, he tells me, the group plans to assist approximately ten thousand mature amphibians across the road.

Effectiveness and Limitations

How much of a difference can these organizations truly achieve? "The fact that people are performing this regularly on cold, damp and unpleasant late nights is quite extraordinary," notes an expert. "That's something that very much deserves recognition." However, while toad patrols are able to slow the decline, they cannot prevent it entirely – not least because vehicles is not the only threat.

Other Dangers

The global warming has resulted in longer periods of drought, which cause the wrong conditions for some of the animals that toads consume, such as invertebrates, while warmer ponds have led to an increase of toxic plants, which can be toxic to toads. Warmer cold seasons also cause toads to wake up from their hibernation more frequently, interfering with the energy conservation crucial to their existence. Habitat destruction – especially the disappearance of large ponds – is another menace.

Researchers are "often concerned about putting too much of a utilitarian spin on wildlife," however "There is a big value in just having these animals around." But toads play an significant part in the ecosystem, consuming almost any small creatures or tiny organisms they can swallow and in turn sustaining a variety of birds and mammals, such as hedgehogs and otters. Improving conditions for toads – ie creating more ponds, protecting forests and installing toad tunnels – "we'll improve them for a whole bunch of additional wildlife."

Historical Significance

Another reason to work to preserve toads present is their "important cultural value," notes an expert. Legends and tales around toads date back {centuries|hundred