Volunteers leap to save toads at Seahouses

Volunteers have formed a group to patrol a stretch of road north of Seahouses where large numbers of toads are killed by passing traffic as they try to reach their breeding pond on the other side of dunes south of Monks House.

Claire Watson-Armstrong of Bamburgh Castle, who set the group up, said: “I do love my creatures and after seeing the absolute carnage and plight of hundreds of toads that had been killed or injured by traffic as they tried to reach their breeding pond close to where I live, I felt compelled to try and do something to help them.

“I put out a post on our local area Facebook page saying I was heading out in high viz to go to the toads’ rescue and did anyone want to join me – and people’s responses have been incredible.

“We now have a Facebook group called Seahouses Toads on Roads with over 100 amazing members. They are helping with the plight of toads in the Monks House area by volunteering to patrol and lift toads, look out and report toad movements and help raise awareness locally about the toads and their migration.

“We’re eager to get more people volunteering and we’d love to hear from people with an interest in helping this unusual and charismatic amphibian for a few nights as the weather gets milder. It’s a lovely thing to do and very rewarding.”

Claire added: “Most people are unaware about the toads here and think they are mud or debris. We are liaising with Northumberland County Council to get temporary road signs to warn motorists about migrating toads in the road ahead.”

Volunteer Philippa Gill added: “I really want to help the toads get from the dunes across to the pond without getting killed. It’s a very busy road and it’s so sad to see them squashed in such numbers. I didn’t realise we had the toads here and want to look after them. It’s a journey they have been doing for hundreds of years and we need to help preserve them.”

The common toad - a wonderfully charming amphibian with ‘warty’ skin and waddling gait - is thought to be experiencing declines in the UK, in some cases caused by the effect of road traffic as toads travel slowly back to breeding ponds, often used for generations.

The site has now been officially recognised by a national campaign named ‘Toads on Roads’, coordinated by the national wildlife charity Froglife, and supported by ARG UK, a national network of volunteer groups concerned with amphibian and reptile conservation.

Over the coming weeks, thousands of volunteers across the country will be preparing to help toads across roads in a coordinated effort to help save the common toad from further declines.

Other toad patrols exist in Northumberland.

More information can be found on the Froglife website: www.froglife.org or for more details email [email protected]