Threats to amphibians
And they are in trouble. A piece of recent academic research suggests that common toads have declined by 68% in the UK in the last 30 years despite being classified as “Least concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species. Citizen Science using gardens also shows common frogs declining.
The main threats to amphibians are:
- Loss of habitat (ponds and terrestrial habitat are being lost as we build more houses and roads, and change the way we farm allowing less space for wildlife)
- Habitat fragmentation (roads or buildings can create a barrier between wintering and breeding areas, thousands of animals are run over on their spring migration every year)
- Climate change (warmer winters affect hibernating animals meaning they sometimes wake up when there is limited food available)
The Wildlife Trust BCN is fighting back by creating wetland habitat, restoring terrestrial habitat, standing up for wildlife affected by development, educatingpeople about how to make better choices for our climate, and coordinating volunteers to carry out toad patrols.
Toads on Roads
This time of year, toads will be beginning to wake up from their winter sleep. At the end of February and into March, depending on the weather, toads will migrate, sometimes several miles, to their favourite breeding pond. When migration routes take animals over roads, they are often knocked down. This is where volunteer toad patrollers come in.
