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It is Friday evening at half past seven, but instead of heading to the pub or watching a film, I've taken a train to a market town in the countryside to meet up with volunteers from a amphibian rescue group. These dedicated individuals sacrifice their nights to safeguard the local toad population.

An Alarming Decline in Population

The common toad is growing more uncommon. A latest study conducted by an amphibian and reptile charity revealed that the British common toad numbers have almost halved since 1985. Observing a species that has been a fixture of the UK landscape in decrease is described as "worrying" by researchers. Toads "don't need very particular environments" and "ought to live successfully in the majority of habitats in the UK," so 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 Traffic

Though the research didn't examine the causes for the drop, traffic is a major factor. Calculations indicate that 20 tons of toads are crushed on British roads every year – that is, hundreds of thousands. In contrast to frogs, which would probably be happy to mate "if you left out a small container," toads prefer big bodies of water. Their ability to remain away from water for longer than frogs allows they can travel further to find them – sometimes hundreds of metres. They usually stick to their ancestral migration routes – it's typical for mature amphibians to return to their natal pond to mate.

Breeding Patterns

Appropriately enough, the first toads start their journey for a partner around Valentine's day, but some move as late as spring, waiting until it gets night and travelling after sunset. During that time, toads start moving from wherever they have been overwintering "almost simultaneously."

One volunteer, who grew up in the area and has been trying to protect its amphibians since he was a boy, notes that "Their sole purpose: to go and mate." If their path happens to a street, they could be killed by traffic, and that mating period would never happen – preventing a next generation of toads from being produced.

Toad Patrols Across the United Kingdom

Finding many of toad carcasses on local roads "resonates deeply with people," and has resulted in the formation of toad patrols across the UK – hundreds of organizations are officially listed with a countrywide program. These groups collect toads and transport them over streets in buckets, as well as counting the quantity of toads they find and advocating for other safety solutions, such as road closures and underground wildlife tunnels.

Patrols usually work during the breeding period, when toad crossings are frequent. However, this implies they can miss groups of young toads, which, having been spawn and then tadpoles, leave their ponds over an irregular timetable in late summer. Because of their small stature – just a couple of cm wide – "they can get obliterated by car traffic." And as being hit "essentially crushes them," it's harder to get data on them. At least when adult toads are lost, their remains can be counted.

Year-Round Work

Unlike many groups, a specific volunteer group, who are in their eighth season of functioning, go out throughout the year – not nightly, but when conditions are damp, or if a member has reported about a toad sighting in their group chat. When I request to accompany them on duty, they concede it is "not ideal conditions" – winter dormancy has started and it's been a dry day – but a few of the volunteers gamely agree to walk up and down their area with me and search for any toads. "If anyone can locate any toads tonight, that pair will find one," says the group coordinator, indicating her 14-year-old son and the experienced member. After for two hours without a single toad sighting, and now they have climbed over a barbed wire fence to check under some logs.

Community Involvement

The mother and son joined the group a while back. The teenager loves all things nature-related and has an goal to become a conservationist, so his mother started to look for things they could do jointly to help local wildlife. Now she enjoys it as much as he does, the middle-aged entrepreneur tells me – so when the team was seeking a fresh coordinator lately, she volunteered for the role.

The teenager, too, has played an important role in the organization. A clip he made, imploring the municipal authority to close a road through a protected area during breeding time, influenced the outcome the group's way. After a twelve months of lobbying, the council approved an "restricted access" restriction between evening and morning from late winter through to April. Most drivers respected and avoided the route.

Additional Species and Challenges

Several vehicles go by when I'm out on patrol and we find some victims as a result – no amphibians, but three squashed newts. We see one living newt as well, and the youngster is especially excited to see a daddy longlegs, which moves in his palms. Yet in spite of the team's best efforts to show me a toad, the native community has clearly gone dormant for the colder months. It seems that I wouldn't have had any more luck anywhere else in the country – all the patrol groups I reach out to explain that it's very difficult at this season.

This team anticipates assisting around ten thousand mature toads over the street

A message I get from another volunteer, who has kindly taken the trouble to check for toads in a noted location, considered the largest accurately monitored toad population in the UK, reaches me with the title: "No toads." However, in late winter, he informs me, the team plans to assist approximately ten thousand adult toads over the street.

Effectiveness and Limitations

How much of a difference can these groups truly achieve? "The fact that volunteers are performing this consistently on chilly, wet and miserable late nights is quite extraordinary," says an researcher. "This effort that very much should be celebrated." However, while toad patrols are able to slow the decline, they can't stop it completely – partly since traffic is not the only threat.

Other Dangers

The climate crisis has resulted in extended spells of drought, which cause the poor environment for some of the creatures that toads eat, such as invertebrates, while warmer ponds have caused an increase of blue-green algae, which can be harmful to toads. Milder winters also cause toads to emerge from their dormancy more often, interfering with the energy conservation vital to their life cycle. Loss of environment – particularly the disappearance of large ponds – is an additional threat.

Researchers are "always a bit worried about putting too much of a utilitarian spin on wildlife," however "It's important in just having these animals around." But toads play an significant part in the ecosystem, consuming pretty much any invertebrates or tiny organisms they can fit in their mouths and in turn sustaining a variety of birds and mammals, such as wildlife. Improving situations for toads – such as creating more ponds, protecting forests and installing toad tunnels – "benefits for a whole bunch of additional wildlife."

Cultural Importance

An additional motive to try to keep toads present is their "important cultural value," adds an expert. Legends and tales around toads date back {centuries|hundred