Toad patrol volunteers are ensuring frisky amphibians can cross the road to reach their mating grounds

By Becky Thomas, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Royal Holloway University of London

During February and March, volunteers head out after dark with buckets and florescent jackets to stand on roads across the UK. These are the toad patrols, and they help an amphibian with love on its mind.

Early spring is the start of the breeding season for common toads (Bufo bufo to scientists). A warm, wet evening is the perfect cue for males to embark for a pond where they hope to find a mate. Females usually arrive a few weeks later, but they only stay long enough to mate and spawn.

Males, who outnumber the females, must engage in gladiator-style battles to…

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