By Gary Cooper

PEOPLE ACROSS Angus are being urged to help save lovestruck toads from death on the area’s highways.

The appeal for assistance was issued yesterday by county wildlife experts supporting this year’s Toads on Roads campaign mounted by conservation group Froglife.

Volunteers the length and breadth of the country are to give up their time again this year to save toads as they migrate across roads to their breeding ponds in spring.

It has won the support of members of Amphibian and Reptile Groups (ARG) UK, a network of like-minded helpers keen to safeguard the species.

Angus ARG representative Trevor Rose hopes people around the district will step forward with information about toad migration to help cut the numbers killed by vehicles.

He is no stranger to wildlife welfare and formed Friends of Angus Herpetofauna on the back of a major study last year into the state of the amphibian and reptile population in Angus.

Mr Rose said, “I would like the help of the public at large to identify the places where toads and other amphibians cross over roads on migration.

“We can then make an assessment of whether the population is vulnerable and requires help—and, with luck, encourage locals to get involved with toad “lifting.”

“If anyone has a toad crossing near them, or they know of any other sites in Angus, I would like to hear from them.

“Also, while on your travels, look out for migrating toads or stretches of roads where several toads have been killed by traffic.”

He said that, generally, toads will begin their migration as soon as evening temperatures reach about 8C and are usually on the move between 8pm and 10pm, particularly on damp evenings.

Mr Rose aims to use count data—population size versus road deaths—to determine mortality rate, then make a judgment on whether the population is vulnerable as a result of being close to a road.

“Where ponds are less than 100 metres from the road the toads, and other amphibians, are more concentrated and hence more frequently killed, and of course the frequency of cars passing is a major factor,” he added.

The co-ordinated action forms part of ongoing work to help save the common toad from possible extinction in some parts of the country.

Anyone willing to help the Angus effort can contact Mr Rose by Email at secretary@thebhs.org and by phone on 01674 671676.