Great frog and toad show
Above: A Toad
Above: A Frog
Article taken from Sussex Life
Globally over 4,000 species of frogs and toads have been found but here in Sussex, there are only three of them.
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We are familiar with the common toad (below right), though numbers have undergone a noticeable decline over the last 30 years. Toads differ from common frogs (right) in that they are generally larger, are covered in warts and tend to walk rather than hop. The warty skin is slightly toxic which gives any potential predator a nasty taste, thereby negating the need to move quickly. They in turn eat any living things that are capable of being swallowed and slugs and snails are a favourite source of food.
The decline in their numbers is due mainly to loss of habitat and food. They prefer deeper bodies of water than frogs and the drying up, filling in and general decline in farm and village ponds, alongside the dissection of traditional migration routes by roads, has exacerbated the fall in their numbers. This decline might have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for some dedicated volunteers who set up toad crossing points around the county to shepherd their charges to safety. Common frogs are more numerous, but even they have suffered in the last 20 years. Garden ponds have gone a considerable way to mitigate the loss of ‘natural ‘ habitat for frogs, but unfortunately, toads haven’t adapted so well.
Despite declining numbers our native common frog and common toad are still relatively easy to find. The first place to look is your garden.
During March and April take a torch and go out and look to see the frenzied sexual activity taking place on your property! If you haven’t got a garden pond, find a local village or farm pond to watch, of course seeking permission to do so beforehand.
You could help at one of the toad crossings. There are 17 in West Sussex while in East Sussex three of the crossings where help would be most appreciated are at Litlington near Eastbourne, Harlands Farm Pond near Uckfield and Offham Road near Lewes.
To find out more about joining crossing patrols throughout the County organised by the Sussex Amphibians and Reptile Group (SARG) please telephone Jenny Bacon 01825 890236
Click HERE to read the full article in the Sussex Life digital archives
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