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It's Friday night at 7:30, but rather than going out or watching a film, I've caught a train to a town in Wiltshire to meet up with local helpers from a toad patrol. These committed people give up their nights to safeguard the local toad population.

An Alarming Drop in Population

The Bufo bufo is becoming increasingly uncommon. A recent research led by an wildlife conservation group showed that the British common toad numbers have dropped by half since 1985. Seeing a species that has been a stalwart of the British countryside in decrease is labeled "concerning" by researchers. Toads "don't require very particular environments" and "ought to live quite well in most of habitats in Britain," meaning if even they are not managing to survive, "it kind of suggests that things are not as they should be."

Since 1985, Britain's toad numbers have nearly been cut in half

The Threat from Roads

Though the study didn't examine the causes for the drop, traffic certainly plays a part. Calculations indicate that 20 tons of toads are crushed on British roads every year – in other words, hundreds of thousands. Unlike frogs, which might be content to mate "if you left out a small container," toads favor large ponds. Their capacity to remain away from water for more time than frogs allows they can journey farther to reach them – often long distances. They tend to stick to their traditional paths – it's common for adult toads to return to their birth pond to mate.

Breeding Habits

Appropriately enough, the first toads begin their quest for a partner around Valentine's day, but others travel as late as April, waiting until it gets dark and travelling after sunset. During that time, toads begin migrating from wherever they have been overwintering "all pretty much at the same time."

A local helper, who grew up in the area and has been working to save its amphibians since he was a boy, explains that "Their sole purpose: to go and mate." If their route crosses a road, they could all get run over, and that breeding season would never happen – stopping a new generation of toads from being born.

Rescue Groups Throughout the UK

Seeing many of dead toads on local roads "inherently strikes a chord 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 teams collect toads and carry them over streets in buckets, as well as recording the quantity of toads they find and lobbying for other protection measures, such as blocked roads and amphibian passages.

Volunteers tend to operate during the migration season, when toad crossings are frequent. However, this implies they can overlook groups of toadlets, which, having existed as spawn and then tadpoles, exit their water habitats over an unpredictable schedule in the end of summer. Because of their size – just a couple of cm wide – "they are destroyed by vehicles." And as being hit "essentially crushes them," it's more difficult to get data on them. At least when mature amphibians are killed, their carcasses can be counted.

Annual Work

In contrast to most patrols, one local team, who are in their eighth season of operating, go out throughout the year – not every night, but when conditions are damp, or if someone has posted about a amphibian spotting in their group chat. When I request to accompany them on patrol, they admit it is "not ideal conditions" – winter dormancy has started and it's been a arid period – but several of the helpers gamely agree to walk up and down their area with me and see what we can find. "If anyone can locate any toads tonight, that pair will spot one," says the group coordinator, pointing to her 14-year-old son and the longtime volunteer. After for two hours without a glimpse of any amphibians, and now they have scaled a wire barrier to inspect beneath some wood.

Community Involvement

The mother and son joined the patrol a year and a half ago. The youngster loves all things nature-related and has an goal to become a conservationist, so his parent started to look for things they could do together to help local wildlife. Now she loves it as much as he does, the 41-year-old small business owner explains – so when the team was looking for a new manager recently, she volunteered for the role.

The youth, too, has been instrumental in the organization. A clip he created, imploring the municipal authority to close a road through a nature reserve during breeding time, swung the decision the team's way. After a year of campaigning, the authority approved an "restricted access" restriction between evening and morning from late winter through to April. The majority of motorists respected and avoided the route.

Other Wildlife and Difficulties

Several vehicles go past when I'm out on duty and we discover some casualties as a consequence – no toads, but several crushed salamanders. We see one living newt as well, and the teenager is particularly pleased to see a harvestman, which moves in his hands. Yet despite the group's best efforts to show me a toad, the native community has obviously settled down for the colder months. It seems that I wouldn't have had any more luck elsewhere in the country – all the patrol groups I contact clarify that it's near-impossible at this time of year.

The group expects to help approximately 10,000 adult toads across the road

One email I receive from another volunteer, who has generously taken the trouble to look for toads in a noted location, thought to be the largest accurately monitored toad population in the UK, reaches me with the subject line: "No toads." However, in February and March, he informs me, the group expects to help approximately 10,000 adult toads across the road.

Effectiveness and Challenges

What level of impact can these organizations actually make? "The reality that volunteers are performing this consistently on chilly, wet and miserable late nights is quite extraordinary," says an expert. "This effort that very much deserves recognition." However, while rescue teams are able to reduce the drop, they cannot prevent it entirely – not least because traffic is just one danger.

Other Dangers

The global warming has resulted in extended spells of dry weather, which create the wrong conditions for some of the creatures that toads consume, such as worms and slugs, while warmer ponds have led to an increase of toxic plants, which can be harmful to toads. Warmer cold seasons also cause toads to emerge from their hibernation more often, disrupting the energy conservation crucial to their life cycle. Loss of environment – especially the disappearance of large ponds – is another menace.

Researchers are "often concerned about putting too much of a utilitarian spin on wildlife," however "There is a big value in just having these animals around." But toads play an significant part in the ecosystem, consuming pretty much any small creatures or small animals they can swallow and in turn feeding a variety of predators, such as wildlife. Improving situations for toads – such as building water habitats, conserving woodland and installing toad tunnels – "benefits for a whole bunch of other species."

Cultural Significance

An additional motive to try to keep toads around is their "historical significance," notes an specialist. Myths and folklore around toads go back {centuries|hundred