Toads on Roads

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Toads on Roads is a project run by UK registered charity Froglife [1] with the aims of recording locations where toads and other amphibians have to cross roads to reach breeding sites, and are thus at risk of being killed by traffic, and helping to coordinate local community "Toad Patrols" to help amphibians safely cross roads. [1] [2]

Contents

Background

Toads on Roads is a conservationist project aiming to protect the population of toads and amphibians in the UK, between 1985 and 2021 the population of the common toad in the UK fell by as much as 41%. [3] A major reason for this decline seems to be the expansion of roads into historical breeding areas [4] Froglife estimates roughly 20 tonnes of toads are killed annually on roads in the UK. [5] Climate change has also been raised as a concern for populations as milder winters and dryer weather has effected hibernation and prey populations. [5] [6]

Toad Patrols

Toad Patrolling has existed in Hampshire since 1973, [7] and started to grow as a movement in the early 1980s. [8] As of 2025 Froglife records data from 284 active patrols. [9] Toad Patrols are usually active only during the spring [5] as toads require wet weather and temperatures of greater than 5°C to migrate to breeding sites. [1] Toad Patrols usually go out during the evening when toads are most active and use buckets to help safely move toads across roads, [10] due to mixed results from the use of tunnels in other countries. [5] A number of roads in the UK have also been closed off during the breeding season of toads due to activism from toad patrols such as in Bath [11] and Warminster. [12]

An example of a toad crossing sign Toad warning sign - geograph.org.uk - 8075759.jpg
An example of a toad crossing sign

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Toads on Roads - Top Tips for Toad Patrolling for ARGs". Amphibian and Reptile Groups of UK (ARG UK). Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "Toads on Roads". Froglife. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Petrovan, Silviu O.; Moor, Helen; Schmidt, Benedikt R. (29 September 2025). "Increasingly uncommon common toads: multidecadal, ongoing abundance decline of a widespread amphibian despite volunteer conservation action". Biodiversity and Conservation. 34 (12): 4235–4249. Bibcode:2025BiCon..34.4235P. doi:10.1007/s10531-025-03150-6. ISSN   0960-3115.
  4. ↑ Gayle, Damien (2025-09-30). "Common toad is becoming uncommon in UK, study shows". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Knight, Lucy (2025-10-21). "'The cars just turn them into mush': can Britain's toads be saved from traffic and terrible decline?". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  6. ↑ "New research confirms ongoing and worrying decline of Britain's common toads". Froglife. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  7. ↑ ""It's a major logistical operation" – toad patrols in Britain are saving thousands of amphibians a year". Discover Wildlife. 2025-01-30. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  8. ↑ cmhansen (2019-07-03). "Toads on Roads – 30 years of citizen science". Amphibian Survival Alliance. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  9. ↑ "Toads on Roads web interface". Froglife. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  10. ↑ "Toad patrol in rural England aims to rescue amphibian population". Reuters. 2025-03-07.
  11. ↑ "Bath toad patrol group helps 50,000 to breeding grounds". BBC News. 2025-04-11. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  12. ↑ "Warminster Toad Patrol urge people to avoid road". BBC News. 2025-09-08. Retrieved 2026-01-15.


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