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It's a Friday night at half past seven, but instead of heading to the pub or watching a film, I've caught a train to a market town in Wiltshire to meet up with volunteers from a amphibian rescue group. These dedicated individuals sacrifice their evenings to safeguard the native amphibian community.

A Worrying Decline in Numbers

The common toad is becoming increasingly uncommon. A latest study led by an wildlife conservation group revealed that the British common toad numbers have dropped by half since 1985. Observing a species that has been a stalwart of the UK landscape in decrease is labeled "concerning" by experts. Toads "don't need very particular environments" and "ought to live successfully in most of areas in Britain," meaning if even they are not managing to survive, "it kind of suggests that the ecosystem is unbalanced."

The UK toad population has almost halved since 1985

The Threat from Roads

Though the research didn't cover the causes for the decline, traffic certainly plays a part. Calculations suggest that 20 tonnes of toads are crushed on British roads annually – that is, hundreds of thousands. Unlike frogs, which would probably be content to mate "with just a bucket of water," toads favor big bodies of water. Their ability to remain away from water for more time than frogs means they can journey farther to find them – often long distances. They usually stick to their traditional paths – it's typical for mature amphibians to return to their natal pond to mate.

Migration Habits

Appropriately enough, the initial amphibians begin their quest for a partner around February 14th, but others travel as late as spring, until it gets dark and moving through the night. During that period, toads begin migrating from where they have been hibernating "almost simultaneously."

A local helper, who was raised in the area and has been trying to protect its toad population since he was a child, explains that "Their sole purpose: to go and have an orgy." If their path crosses a street, they could be killed by traffic, and that mating period would be lost – stopping a next generation of toads from being born.

Toad Patrols Across the UK

Seeing hundreds of dead toads on nearby streets "resonates deeply with people," and has resulted in the formation of rescue teams throughout the UK – hundreds of organizations are officially listed with a countrywide program. These teams collect toads and carry them over streets in containers, as well as counting the number of toads they find and lobbying for other safety solutions, such as road closures and amphibian passages.

Volunteers usually work during the breeding period, when amphibian movements are frequent. However, this means they can miss groups of young toads, which, having been spawn and then tadpoles, leave their water habitats over an unpredictable schedule in the end of summer. Because of their size – just a couple of cm wide – "they are destroyed by vehicles." And as being run over "basically turns them into mush," it's harder to collect information on them. At least when adult toads are killed, their carcasses can be tallied.

Annual Efforts

Unlike many groups, one local team, who are in their eighth year of functioning, go out throughout the year – not nightly, but when conditions are warm and wet, or if someone has reported about a toad sighting in their messaging app. When I request to accompany them on patrol, they admit it is "not ideal conditions" – winter dormancy has started and it's been a dry day – but a few of the volunteers willingly accept to patrol their route with me and see what we can find. "Should anyone can find any toads tonight, that pair will find one," says the patrol manager, indicating her teenage child and the longtime volunteer. We've been out for two hours without a glimpse of any amphibians, and now they have scaled a wire barrier to inspect beneath some wood.

Community Participation

The mother and son joined the group a year and a half ago. The youngster loves all things wildlife and has an goal to become a environmentalist, so his parent started to search for activities they could do together to protect local wildlife. Now she loves it as much as he does, the middle-aged small business owner tells me – so when the team was looking for a new manager recently, she decided to step up.

The teenager, too, has played an important role in the group. A video he created, imploring the local council to block a street through a nature reserve during migration season, influenced the outcome the team's way. After a year of lobbying, the council agreed to an "access-only" restriction between evening and morning from late winter through to April. The majority of motorists duly avoided the route.

Other Wildlife and Difficulties

A few cars go by when I'm out on patrol and we find some casualties as a result – no amphibians, but several crushed salamanders. We see one living newt as well, and the teenager is especially excited to see a harvestman, which dances in his palms. Yet in spite of the team's best efforts to show me a toad, the local population has obviously gone dormant for the winter. It appears that I couldn't have found any more luck elsewhere in the nation – all the rescue teams I contact clarify that it's near-impossible at this season.

They project rescuing nearly 10,000 grown amphibians during migration

One email I get from another volunteer, who has kindly made the effort to look for toads in a noted location, considered the biggest tracked toad population in the UK, reaches me with the title: "No toads." However, in February and March, he informs me, the group expects to help around ten thousand mature amphibians over the street.

Impact and Challenges

How much of a difference can these organizations truly achieve? "The reality that people are doing this regularly on cold, damp and unpleasant evenings is remarkable," says an researcher. "This effort that very much deserves recognition." However, while toad patrols are able to reduce the drop, they cannot prevent it entirely – not least because vehicles is not the only threat.

Additional Threats

The global warming has resulted in extended spells of dry weather, which cause the poor environment for some of the creatures that toads eat, such as invertebrates, while higher water temperatures have caused an increase of toxic plants, which can be toxic to toads. Milder winters also lead toads to wake up from their dormancy more often, disrupting the resource preservation vital to their life cycle. Habitat destruction – especially the disappearance of large ponds – is another menace.

Experts are "often concerned about overemphasizing practical benefits on wildlife," but "There is a big value in just having these animals around." But toads do have an important role in the ecosystem, consuming pretty much any invertebrates or tiny organisms they can fit in their mouths and in turn feeding a number of predators, such as wildlife. Improving situations for toads – such as creating more ponds, protecting forests and installing amphibian passages – "benefits for a wide range of other species."

Cultural Significance

An additional motive to work to preserve toads around is their "important cultural value," notes an specialist. Legends and tales around toads go back {centuries|hundred