A ‘toad patrol’ has helped more than 250 of the creatures cross a busy Angus A-road safely during their spring breeding season.
It’s given the amphibians a safe passage to their traditional breeding ground.
And Froglife volunteers hope it will herald a bumper boost for the local population.
The helpful herpetologists have now turned their attention to making ladders for the leathery little friends at Lundie to help them escape trouble in the outdoors.
Why was a toad patrol set-up?
The amphibians’ in-built homing instinct often leads them into bother on their way back to spawning grounds.
Toad patrol organiser Celia Holmes said: “Toads migrate back to their ancestral breeding ponds each year.
“They follow the same route, regardless of what gets in their way, which sometimes leads to them crossing roads.
“We then get a toad versus traffic scenario – and the toads inevitably come off worse.”
Migratory crossings up and down the country are recorded by Froglife.
In 2022, the project saved more than 92,000 toads at almost 200 locations across the UK.
So the Froglife team set up base in a car park at a forest beside the A923.
Even at night the Dundee to Coupar Angus road is a busy stretch.
And in the weeks since the toads emerged from hibernation more than 250 have been saved from an untimely end.
Warm damp nights are prime time for toads
Celia explained toads are most active on warm, damp nights in March and April.
“That is when volunteers prioritised their patrols – close to Smithton Wood – to ensure their safe passage across the road,” she added.
Lundie Farm’s owners backed the volunteers, as well as Scottish Woodlands who manage the wood.
Perth-based branch manager Neil White said: “Scottish Woodlands is managing forests right across the UK and we make every effort to be a good neighbour and to help out local wildlife whenever possible.”
“It’s great to see local volunteers come together and spend their time making sure Scotland’s toad have safe passage to their breeding grounds during the spring months.
“It shows Scotland’s forests don’t just produce top-quality timber but can be havens for wildlife of all shapes and sizes as well.”
“We’ re really grateful for the support at this important breeding site for toads and other amphibians in Angus,” added Celia.
The toad patrol success means volunteers are now designing ‘toad ladders’ for drains and gutters on the site, so the toads can climb out in future.
Tadpoles hatch after about 10 days and become toadlets over two to three months.
Common toads can live up to around 10-12 years.
To find out more about toad patrols or become involved locally visit Toads on Roads at www.froglife.org
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