I need help to stop mass toad deaths, asap please

[dampflippers]

Go to this page on the Froglife website on organising toad partols:

Froglife - conserving native frogs, toads, newts, lizards, snakes
There are lots of useful documents and suggestions including a bit about insurance. (Or ask them to post some out).

Although you want to save them all, you really shouldn't put yourself at risk, or put the driver at risk by having to avoid you on a slippery road in the dark.

Don't forget to keep a count of numbers.

[toadpole]

WOW doggyplop...i commend you i cannot believe people are not interested in helping you ....Here in surrey there are people queuing up to help ....and they build frog /toad and newt fences to help them stay off the roads and they seem to have patrols all hours of the day and night ..they even provide the fluorescent jackets !! it is something i did when my children were small and would do now only i have severe mobility problems i know you are NOT getting the help you deserve at the moment ...but at least you have tried your best and saved SO MANY !!!.and for that you can feel very proud ....and now you know the vast numbers involved in crossing to the pond you mention ... you can plan ahead for next year and get that crossing manned...signposted .... and a list of volunteers to help you .....Good Luck Marion

[doggyplop]

thanx all for comments.

just thought i would post my results so far.

i actually met sam at mirehouse ponds a few days ago, we had a look around and he commented that it must be a fairly big migration going by the pond size and the hill overlooking it (he said thats prob where many come from).

unfortunately there is no one he knows in this area to help me, but maybe next year we will have things in place.

i met sam at 8pm and on my way back home at 9pm i came across 2 hapless female toads sitting in the road, and a dead one.this spurred me into dropping a note about the toads into the letterboxes of 25 houses on mirehouse road, and over the next few hours i saw one guy scanning the road with a torch, but nothing since.this is the problem, finding someone who will make an effort on a regular basis, not just a flash in the pan and then giving up for good cos no toads are seen on the first attempt.

its now april 8th, and toads are STILL getting run over, but only about 3 or 4 on warmer nights, and im only saving about 2 or 3 on these nights.

im wondering how long into april will the stragglers keep coming ?, and if the outside temp is below say 5 degrees celsius, will there be any toads out of bed ? (ive not noticed any at these temps, but then a bit of light rain the next day brings a few out)
what conditions are certain to bring em out mid april ?
i can not wait untill i know for sure that every last one has attempted the crossing, then i can have a kip !
if it rains 2morrow, there could be toads crossing from 9pm to 6am again.

[posie]

Have you had time to contact the press like davecatt suggested in his post above, as I too am sure this would make people aware, and would reach hundreds of locals. Even if it's nearly finished this year, you need help for next year, and the press would have this year's story and do one again in say Feb next year to remind people......,,You've done a good job..WELL DONE..Posie

[dampflippers]

You could also write or phone into local radio. If you are prepared to talk about it on air, this will reach alot of people. Ask the radio station to pass on enquiries to you.
You need to start accumulating names, addresses, phone nos and email addresses of people who are willing to help this year or next year, and defintely register the crossing point with Froglife and find out how to get toad crossing warning signs put up.

If there is a local internet messageboard of any sort, then use that.

Whitehaven News | Home If you havn't already contacted the Whitehaven News, write to them today. It will be more effective if you have some photos of either live toads or squashed toads to send as well.

[doggyplop]

cheers all for comments.

a lot of stuff to do really, i wish i had started earlier.
i shall try to do some of these things, but i think its all to do for next year now, no point whipping up local interest now and then finding people lose interest quickly cos there are not many toads to see now, ive learnt that from my posting notes in houses on the road--cos the busiest part is over people are not interested in coming out to save the odd toad here and there, they expect to see loads otherwise they think there is not a problem.

i reckon the busiest period is over but i would like to have some idea on when no more toads will attempt the crossing.

does proper summer herald the end ?

will i see the occaisional intrepid toad into may ? i hope not, cos i feel obligated to go out on the off chance of getting just one toad out of hot water (at least this is not china and the rest of the far east, where toads, and most other species of animal, inc cats and dogs, are actually boiled alive in hot water before being eaten)

[twitchyt]

Think it would be great if local authorities could put up animal deterring fences along the road sides, if they just saved some of the many animals that die on busy countryside roads it would be worth the massive undertaking of it.

[dampflippers]

Hi again,

If you have been keeping a note of the numbers saved each day, and the weather, this will be a great help next year. If you haven't got a detailed record, at least try to mark on the calendar when you started, and when the peak time was this year.

Whether you carry on I think you have to decide yourself. I don't think you can hope to save every single toad, so may be from now on just go out rainy nights and just during rush hour/ early evening.

It is a good point about people being put off if there aren't many toads to save this year. So may be concentrate on working out a strategy for next year. Register the crossing with froglife, try to get signs put up, and work out how you will organise it if you get volunteers next year. Look out for cheap fluorescent bibs from shops like Aldi and Lidl, find friendly shops to donate buckets or torches etc.

[posie]

Good idea dampflippers about the shops donating, they might even donate the safety bibs.. I suspect that doggyplop is more of a 'hands-on' wildlifer than an 'office work and organising' wildlifer, if this is the case doggyplop, you could ask someone to help you with the stuff you've got to do like approaching organisations, local press and radio stations, TV local news,and subsequently local shops, businesses etc for donations of equipment. It is quite a daunting proposition if you've not done that sort of thing before, and is quite a responsibility on your own, also 'emotional' support really helps.
If I am wrong Doggyplop, please don't be offended, I will stand corrected....but I know that if I was doing it I'd be so pleased for someone to help with the background stuff......Posie..

[doggyplop]

Originally Posted by posie

Good idea dampflippers about the shops donating, they might even donate the safety bibs.. I suspect that doggyplop is more of a 'hands-on' wildlifer than an 'office work and organising' wildlifer, if this is the case doggyplop, you could ask someone to help you with the stuff you've got to do like approaching organisations, local press and radio stations, TV local news,and subsequently local shops, businesses etc for donations of equipment. It is quite a daunting proposition if you've not done that sort of thing before, and is quite a responsibility on your own, also 'emotional' support really helps.
If I am wrong Doggyplop, please don't be offended, I will stand corrected....but I know that if I was doing it I'd be so pleased for someone to help with the background stuff......Posie..

yes this is pretty much correct, well spotted posie !.
last year i just lifted toads on my own whilst angrily cursing society that this crossing was left to rot.
it never occured to me to rally support from other avenues, i only really thought of doing that this year cos i was finding it hard to be out all the time when the toads needed me.

still, i was a bit late getting support this year (only after the busy first 2 weeks of the crossing did i actually post on this site, up until then i was out all hours lifting toads), but next year (if i still reside here) i am determined to ram this crossing down the towns throat, and hopefully the contacts i made now, like sam, can help in that endeavor.

to answer damflipper, numbers crossing are hard to calculate, but myself over the past 3 to 4 weeks have lifted approx 90+ toads, maybe more, i kept no records, but i think i tipped the balance in their favour and maybe rescued more than got done in on the stretch of road i monitored, but maybe others got done eleswhere on the estate and away from my patch.

quite a few cold nights have muddied the waters a bit, so i dont know when the stragglers will cease their arduous journey, but in the right conditions the crossings were constant but spread out over many hours, never really saw more than 3 or 4 try to cross my patch at once, but over a night dozens could attempt the journey.