You may have seen Toad signs on the road as you approach Stansted on Broad Walk. These are put up to warn cars and raise awareness that there are historic toad crossings in the area. Please drive with extra caution, especially after dusk, as the toads (and some frogs) are returning to the Stansted ponds for mating season. Some have migrated up to 5 km.
It’s estimated that 20 tonnes of toads are killed on the UK’s roads every year with a 70% reduction in Toad numbers in the UK over 30 yrs and the decline has been particularly bad in the South East, so please do drive carefully.
There is a local Toad Patrol on the beat and they need support! The conditions of wet weather and temperatures around 10 degrees is perfect for the migration to the breeding pond.
Please let us know if you would like to join them and help monitor the stretch of road that toads have to cross to reach their breeding pond in the spring around the Kiln Pond on Broad Walk and on Woodberry Lane.
Last night five volunteers came out to help with the final tally was 64 Toads, 3 frogs saved and 7 toads killed on the road
It is a long stretch of road to patrol. Our local Toad Patrol coordinator Ray recommends that you bring a powerful torch to scan the gully and the road for toads about to cross. The toads that were killed were managing to cross whilst the road was unsupervised. 10% mortality whilst we were there so would have been much higher.
And if you are driving along Broad Walk and Woodberry Lane at dusk, please take care and drive slowly, keeping in mind that toads crawl slowly across the road.
Finally, if you’ve seen a discarded Toad Patrol sign, please can you return it to the site—one was taken in the past week.
If you’d like to help out please contact Dr. Ray McGlone: drrmcglone@gmail.com
Volunteers will need a powerful torch, hi visibility vest/clothing, non-latex gloves, waterproof clothing, and a clean bucket (not contaminated with detergents etc)
Thank you!
For more information please link here:
https://www.froglife.org/froglife-ecological-services/