The Lancashire 'toad patrols' stopping the amphibians getting squashed

Sharon HartleyNorth West, Dolphinholme
News imageReuters A close up of a toad on a road in a spotlight of lightReuters
Frogs and toads are an important measuring stick of a healthy environment

Hundreds of migrating toads that were at risk of being "squished" by traffic while crossing roads have been carried to safety in a night-time operation by volunteers in north Lancashire.

Between February and mid-April, the amphibians make their way back to their spawning ponds during the mild and wet evenings, following the same route to get to the ponds no matter what gets in their way.

Claire Adamson said she started a patrol in the village of Dolphinholme to help them safely on their way three years ago after witnessing "an absolute toad massacre" on the country lanes.

"I'm a massive lover of animals and I don't like anything getting squished on the roads," she said.

News imageClaire Adamson kneeling on the road by a small toad in the dark in a high vis vest and grey coat with furry hood. She has long blonde hair tied back
The toad patrollers walk the lanes and carefully help any toads in the road over to the other side

"It was awful to see them, so I set up a patrol with a team of five or six the first year, and now we have 50 volunteers."

The toad patrol walks the lanes and carefully helps any toads in the road over to the other side.

Patrols normally start at sunset and finish either if there are no toads to help or when the commuter traffic has died down, usually by 20:00.

Claire said Dolphinholme has "some big fishing lakes and toads do prefer deeper, cooler water whereas frogs prefer the shallower garden ponds".

"If you spot a toad, you walk up to it, check there's no cars coming because you don't want to put yourself at risk, pick up the toad, check what direction it was facing and you move it to the side of the road in the direction it was facing," she said.

"It will either be heading to the pond or coming away from the pond."

Claire said since 1985, there has been a 68% decline in toad numbers, and with patrols in place up and down the country "I'm just hoping we see the toad population growing year on year."

News imageHead and shoulders of Claire Adamson standing in the dark in a high vis vest and grey coat with furry hood. She is smiling and has long blonde hair tied back
Claire Adamson is one of a team that has helped save over 700 migrating toads so far this year

Why are frogs and toads important?

Firstly, there is the role they play in the ecosystems as they are important predators of many insects, snails, slugs, beetles, and other pests, according to Planet Earth.

Frogs and toads are also an important measuring stick of a healthy environment as their permeable skins can easily absorb chemicals making them very susceptible to pollution.

So if frogs are in trouble it is nature's warning signal that something is wrong in the environment.

A third reason is that frogs have the most extraordinary chemicals in their bodies that can be of huge importance to human medicine.

Their skin secretions may well contain the next generation of antibiotics or antifungal medicine.

And the Anthony's Poison Arrow frog has a chemical called epibatidine, over 200 times more powerful than morphine.

Although the chemical itself is so strong that it cannot currently be used in medicine, chemists are looking at the structure of epibatidine and making synthetic analogues which may have very important medical applications.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.