Volunteers rally for town’s toads

Volunteers have once again helped hundreds of amorous toads to cross a road near Sleaford, but concern has been raised following another decline in their tally.
Hitching a ride ... another annual toad patrol has been completed near Sleaford.Hitching a ride ... another annual toad patrol has been completed near Sleaford.
Hitching a ride ... another annual toad patrol has been completed near Sleaford.

Each spring, vast numbers of the amphibians make the perilous journey across White Cross Lane to reach their ancestral breeding site.

And each year since 2013, a group of locals have taken it in turn to offer them safe passage from traffic.

The patrol was set-up by Fiona Cousland, of Silk Willoughby.

She said this year’s team effort had to be cut short by the Covid-19 lockdown, but Martin Wilson, a resident who lives in the area, used his daily exercise allowance to offer some support for the toads during the remaining week or so.

She raised concern, though, following the latest decline in migration numbers.

In 2016, the tally was 5002; in 2017, it was 4,250; in 2018, it was 2,820; and in 2019, it was 1,970 – annual drops of 15 per cent, 33 per cent, 30 per cent respectively. This year it dropped to 1,361 – a 31 per cent fall.

Fiona said the declines co-incided with the loss of local woodland; however, with the situation more settled now, she expressed hope numbers would rise again, describing the animals as ‘a vital part of the food chain and ecosystem’.

Fiona added: “Jess (Wilson, who runs the group with Fiona) and I would like to thank all our volunteers for the wonderful work they do and giving up their time each spring. Without them the toads would really be struggling to survive.”

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