Still no volunteers for toad crossing despite trying everything

[doggyplop]

hi all,

i posted this exactly a year ago-----

I need help to stop mass toad deaths, asap please

in the meantime all the avenues suggested in response to that thread have been tried, local press, a piece on local radio, posters in shops nr the crossing (and toad crossing signs may be up by next week),

BUT still, i am the only bu**er out each night helping the toads cross the road, but despite my being out every rainy/warm night since feb28th, usually in half hourly intervals from dusk till dawn (its killing me), many toads still get killed, obviously, cos one man cannot be there constantly.

The apathy in this area is unbelievable.

I know its a long shot, but does anyone know someone in cumbria that could be on the ground in whitehaven for a few nights this month ?

In my last years post, i contacted the people recomended to me (inc sam griffin), but they have no local volunteers to me.
The crossing is officially registered with froglife.

I need as many people as possible to pester copeland and cumbria councils (details in last years thread, above) to get this road (the stretch of mirehouse road opposite the ponds) CLOSED for at least a couple of weeks in mid march, whole of march is better, during the hours of darkness, OR some kind of amphibian catching channel alongside the road.or maybe a tunnel.

the council must listen to these ideas now because all other avenues have been exhausted, and no volunteers have been mustered.
but i need numbers to help get them to comply.

i am off out now again, its constant.

cheers

[~T~]

I would gladly help if I was in your area. I've been doing the same recently with the local frog crossing.

[davecatt]

Hi doggyplop

I'm still on the case,got a friend looking into it (no promises but fingers crossedX) I'll be in touch soon.
Dave

[dampflippers]

Hi again Doggyplop.
You need to get in the papers or on local radio.
Email a letter to them or phone up. Get on a local radio phone in and ask for volunteers.
I'm afraid ther is no way you will ever get the road closed, so the only option is to get signs put up and organise a patrol.
Please email froglife today to ask their advice again.
Toads on Roads

Cumbria Wildlife Trust seem to have a conservation work group.
Contact them and ask if they can help with patrols.
Things to doxe-xeCumbria Wildlife Trust

Cumbria wildlife trust also have a facebook page. It might be worth puttng a message on their facebook page here: Cumbria Wildlife Trust | Facebook You will need to create a facebook account if you do, but it doesn't take long. Once you have an account, go to that page and click "like". This will make you a friend of the page, and you will be able to post messages.
I have put a message there myself for you.

[dampflippers]

I have just found these recent articles in the paper, so Sam Griffin HAS tried to help:

Whitehaven News | News | Toad warning to drivers

He has also managed to get it on a petshop blog here: Wayne's World of Pets Blog - Bravenet Blog

There is also a mention in this paper: News & Star | News | Hundreds of toads helped across Cumbrian road

[gardenectomy]

Hi I've just joined the forum today, I live in Carlisle but i would be happy to help but i have no transport, if anyone could give me a lift i might be able to help... I love toads!

[davecatt]

My friend lives just a few miles up the coast from you and has some useful contacts,she has sent out a request for volunteers and says she may be able to do a few hours herself to help you.I'll PM further details.
Dave

[doggyplop]

Originally Posted by dampflippers

I have just found these recent articles in the paper, so Sam Griffin HAS tried to help:

Whitehaven News | News | Toad warning to drivers

He has also managed to get it on a petshop blog here: Wayne's World of Pets Blog - Bravenet Blog

There is also a mention in this paper: News & Star | News | Hundreds of toads helped across Cumbrian road

yes, we pushed the press hard to get them in, i pestered them nearly every day, but they did not put in any of the info i asked for, but at least we got something in, but as i mentioned earlier, it has resulted in zero volunteers, what a pity.

another problem was the press kept saying that volunteers were lined up to help and gave the immpresion everything was under control perhaps, but this is not the case, there is only me on the ground, full stop,

perhaps the press were lumping this crossing in with the bigger dodd wood one, that does have more volunteers (inc sam), but its a long way away (there are only a handfull of known toad migrations left in cumbria now, so whitehaven crossing is a bit rare, and should be helped to survive i think)

cheers

[doggyplop]

Originally Posted by dampflippers

He has also managed to get it on a petshop blog here: Wayne's World of Pets Blog - Bravenet Blog

thanks for that Wayne's World of Pets Blog info, i did not know he had a blog (it was actually me who popped into the shop and gave him the poster i made up, i put sams tel no on it cos it looks more official that way !, i also popped this poster into all the local shops, librarys and vets, but to no avail it seems)

still, did not result in any volunteers though (so far anyway), lets see what happens over the next few busy toady weeks, heres hoping, but im not holding my breath.

Also, was out again 2nite (sun), a lot colder than sat night (sat night was a nightmare, i was out from 7.30pm right through to 5am dawn on sunday, i saved nearly a hundred, but on the instances i came back home for a break {every 40 mins or soxexe, i would come back after say 20mins and approx 7 would be dead on the stretch of mirehouse road running by the ponds (who knows how many across the estate),

anyway, only a handfull of toads out sun (thank goodness),

but i discovered something horrific i was not aware of,

i looked into a cattle grid type hole on a road alongside the ponds and saw a female toad that had prob been trapped there since sat or before, and a large mouse or small rat was eating the poor toads upper back !, the toad was very much alive but too exhausted to escape.

i dont blame the rodent, it faces a daily struggle to find food and maybe thought the toad was dead, after all, toads are not the most active things at the best of times , and especially an exhausted dehydrated toad on a coldish night.

anyway i got the toad out and i swear it seemed to know that i had rescued it from a hellish death !,

bloody hell, toads have a right old old time dont they, traffic, drains, lawn mowers and hungry rodents eating them alive.

its so depressing (i am so glad of sams advice and support over the telephone, it stops me blowing a gasket with anger !) and no wonder toads are in rapid decline in this wildlife unfriendly and apathetic country.
thank goodness for the few people who do care, because i think they actually tip the balance of the virtual extinction threat that many species in this deforested wildlife desert that is modern britain.

toads deserve better, i knew nothing about them until a few years ago (when i first saw them spattered on the road), but they have endeared themselves to me with their stoic resilient bravery, their determination and gentle nature when they are picked up.
last week i saw a female toad with a male on its back, straddling a road drain with its legs splayed out, it knew what was below it and was desperately trying to hold itself up (it may have been in this position for a long time), and it was intelligent enough to let me pick it up rather than struggle and lose its grip on the metal drain.

[Red Robin]

Your intentions are very noble but I would hope that you realise that there is no way that any authority would close a public road for the sake of saving the lives of toads, bunny rabbits, or any other species crossing a road. The local community who use that road would doubtless strongly object and how would they feel about the local council (if the road isn't under the responsibility of the Highways Agency) spending tax payer's money? Even if the road was regularly crossed by Moose at night and consequently very dangerous to drivers, I very much doubt it would be closed but just roadside signs displayed as they are for deer.

Even with roadside signs, would drivers slow down to under 20mph and would they stop and wait for each toad they see while it completes its crossing?

Aren't you putting yourself in danger and at great risk by being a pedestrian in the road at night? - I hope you wear high-viz clothing but without obvious official markings would every driver stop for you?

You could make Highway Code style warning triangles with the silhouette of a toad on it like the deer warning signs but somehow I think such actions would be illegal without official sanction.

How do most drivers react to you and do you actually stop the traffic?

As I say, your intentions are very noble but all I can do is wish you good luck.