Photo by T-Bone Sandwich, CC license
Village Saves 45,000 Toads From Roadway Deaths, Cutting Casualties By 60%—All the Way Down to 3% Rate
Dispersed around the UK, hundreds of heroic volunteers soak themselves to the skin on early spring nights in order to save toads, frogs, and newts from being squished under the tires of passing cars.
This network of volunteer societies is literally transforming England by slowly walking across dark asphalt with a high-beam flashlight and a high-visibility jacket, picking up amphibians and dropping them into a bucket for safe transport across the road.
They are reducing the toll of roadkill on local amphibian populations by enormous amounts and ensuring they can keep up their valuable ecosystem services like keeping insect populations in check and filling the spring air with their soft croaking songs.
If you don’t live in a wet or rain-prone area, and you’ve never been on the road during frog/toad mating season, you might think, “How hard is it to just avoid running them over?” But it’s not that simple, for starters, because they can gather in such numbers that swerving to avoid one puts your tires on another, and small frogs and newts look just like leaves and twigs on the dark tarmac through a rain-splattered windshield.
Last year, England’s 203 amphibian rescue groups saved at least 115,000 animals from roads.
The Guardian’s Adrian Sherratt went out one night with Charlcombe Toad Rescue near the ancient city of Bath to photograph and participate in a rainy night’s rescue operations.
This group has brought the number of amphibian deaths from road crossings down to 3% from 60%. When you think that in March, hundreds of mama toads and frogs cross the street with bellies full of eggs, that equates to the survival of thousands of animals.
Bath is renowned for wet areas and hot springs, and frogs and toads need to reach these bodies of water to mate or lay eggs. But being a well-developed area, it involves crossing a lot of roads.
“I find it very emotional, actually,” said Angela, a Charlcombe volunteer. “And it becomes more emotional as you do it. You see a creature that’s so vulnerable just sitting there, and you can see it’s pregnant and bulging with babies. You want them to have a fighting chance of making it to their breeding grounds.”
Charlcombe has been active during the breeding seasons since 2003 and has saved over 40,000 animals from roads. There is a waiting list to join the 50 or so volunteers needed for the operation, which also crowdfunds a £1,500 sum to pay for the main road to be closed during the breeding season.
Froglife is a charity that coordinates the mass data collection that these efforts generate. They also help connect those desiring to volunteer with toad patrols in their area.
On that note, there are dozens and dozens of toad patrol groups that need new members, particularly in Cheshire, Lancashire, and the Isle of Wight.
Today’s JohnKu applauds there volunteers. I hope you have a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Frogs,toads, and newts by John W. Howell © 2012
Frogs, toads, newts, oh my,
Such lowly creatures and yet . . .
There are folks who care.
Fiction Favorites 
Very cool. Reminds me of the sea turtle baby protection teams. Guess there’s no permanent solution like a wildlife bridge/tunnel.
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I read somewhere that a town did make a tunnel but I couldn’t find the article again.
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It’s good to see that people care. Great story, John. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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I liked it too, Dan
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I love this one. It would make a great setting for a book. A slice of small town life. Maybe the volunteers are invaded by witches who have a different goal in mind.
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Or the frogs and toads now have to body snatch the humans since the squishing was part of a plan to keep them under control. Your kind of stuff.
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😎
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Thank you for this one, John. We are toad patrollers in our little village and have been out many evenings saving toads, frogs and newts on our busy coast roads. Helping them to reach the waters is vital as so many otherwise are squashed to death. Quite upsetting, two days ago someone nicked the fluorescent signs by road warning the drivers that toads and helpers are on the road!
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I have to wonder why someone would want the signs unless they plan to plant them near their Mother-in-Law’s house. You are to be congratulated for your work in preserving these helpful creatures. Thanks F4oC.
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Agree … reminds me of people turning out to save the sea turtles. Nothing like saving life one toad at a time. I noticed that the article didn’t mention that at the end of the rescue, volunteers gathered to sing Long Live the Toad.
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Ha ha ha.
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Any efforts that help save animals make me happy. Thanks, John!
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I’m moved that so many people volunteered. This is so nice.
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I think that is special as well, Kymber.
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Excellent, John. Kudos to the volunteers in the UK. A few years back, our friend nearly ran over a tiny turtle while moving the yard. Enamored by the cute creature snatched from death, he set up a small aquarium. Roll forward a few years, the beautiful creature now lives in a large, multi-gallon water kingdom fit for the star attraction of their fun room. The benefit or preserving life know no bounds.
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What a great story, Grant. Thanks for sharing it.
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We don’t think of the importance of certain critters on the ecosystem. Lose one and a whole ‘nother species takes over. I’ll take the amphibians over the bugs, like mosquitos that carry disease!
Wonderful share on this bright and blue-skied, but cold Friday, John!
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Yeah, Mosquitos are good food for Purple Martins but I don’t think much else. Thanks, Dale.
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Exackery! 😉
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😁
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It’s good to see that people are acknowledging that toads’ lives are worth saving.
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I agree, Tim. It is a good thing.
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That’s so cool! Imagine what the insect population would be if not for birds, frogs, spiders, and lizards!
I shutter to think. Ok, Sci-fi scenarios come to my mind. 😲
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Yes. Sci-fi does come to mind.
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This is such a cool story! I’ve always had a soft spot for frogs and toads. What an amazing difference these people are making. I love that there is a waiting list to join the rescue groups. I’d be on that list!
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Yes I think it is a swell thing to do. Thanks, Mae.
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Fun story, John, and it’s one I won’t forget. It doesn’t take much to make a positive difference in the life of our creature cohabitants.
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No it really doesn’t, Gwen. People just have to take action. Thank you.
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What a wonderful story, John. Those amphibians are so important to our ecosystem. What a difference these volunteers make!
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I can’t imagine allowing 60% of these creatures to be killed. I’m glad the volunteers are there.
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I was feeling a bit grumpy this morning until I read this, John. Thanks for sharing such an uplifting story. It does my heart good to know there are still lots of folks out there who care enough to take on actions of this nature. Yay, them!!! 😀 ❤
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I think you are so right. Yay them. A perfect way to put it.
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☺️
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How wonderfully awesome is this! ❤
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It is. Thanks, Annette
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This is wonderful news, John! ❣️
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Thank you, Cindy. it is.
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This is so wonderful and, I can well imagine, very emotional work. Saving all these little ones…that is the best.
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It is great, Lois. Thank you.
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Good to know there are a few caring souls for much maligned critters.
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I agree. 60% loss is not acceptable.
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We help the turtles cross here and any newt away from water. Yay, for those volunteers saving these frogs and toads too!
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Yes Yay them for sure. Thanks, Denise.
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It’s good to see groups like that. All along the FL coastline people try to help out the baby sea turtles when they hatch.
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Yes, people do great work down there.
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John, we humans have big hearts for animals, sometimes more than we have for other humans. Nice story.
(I wonder if they kept a few for dinner. They say that legs taste like chicken)
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I hope not. Thanks, Steve.
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I’ve experienced this firsthand. Once, immediately following a Midwestern storm, I recall the road being covered with thousands of frogs. I had seen nothing like it. There was literally no way to avoid running many over because they were hopping all over the road.
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I would hate to run over them but there is probably little choice. Thanks, Pete.
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In the fulness of time, when we are ultimately judged, I hope they take into consideration people like this. They are the best of us.
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They certainly are. Thanks, Pam.
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Fascinating!! I had no idea!
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I love this!💕
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Thank you, Eilene. 😁
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Wonderful good news story John. Whilst so many at the top level are flapping their gums about claptrap, some people who deserve the spotlight are out all night rescuing creatures who are so important to our ecosytem… I know which ones I would be happy to volunteer to save! hugs Sally.
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I agree. Let the gum flappers be saved with the same vigor that they would expend to save us.
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Well said John… hugsx
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😊
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Yep, we have special ‘toad patrol’ notices around our villages, when you can see people out at night with torches and buckets.
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Amazing folks. They deserve recognition.
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It’s heartening to know there are people who look out for ALL creatures, great and small.
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I agree, Marc. 😁
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Protecting the ecosystem and saving toads and frogs- yes!
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Double yes.
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😀 😀
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Interesting. I never would have thought of something like this as being a problem. Thank goodness for caring souls.
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I think these folks are the greatest. Thanks, Jan
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What a great story, John! I love frogs and toads! This is really touching! It’s heartwarming to know there are good people out there. ❤️
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It is Lauren. A shame to see there animals killed just because they want to get across a road.
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Lowly.. to some.
They were there before the roads and cars.
We are the interlopers. We owe them something.
This is a terrific effort. Standing ovation to the volunteers.
Thank you for the JohnKu!!!
🐸𝞌 🐂 🐂 🐸𝞌
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I agree. They deserve a standing O with an X. Love your frogs 🐸𝞌 🐂 🐂 🐂 🐸𝞌
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Leaping back at ya!
🐸𝞌 🐂 💋🐂 🐂 🐸𝞌
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😊 good move with the lips. Gonna say you win cause the last time I was covered with lipstick on a rebuttal..
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Yes.. thank you! All that lipschtick can get expensive!
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Especially CoCo Channel
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Yes, a CoCo lipstick, or dinner!
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Ha ha ha so true.
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Great tidings to ponder, dear John! The Englishmen save toads. The Frenchmen eat frogs.😪 Here is the attitude to nature.
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It seems like a contradiction for sure. Thanks for pointing it out, Dear Maria.
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Nice post, thanks for sharing
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Thank you.
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