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Quick answer
Amphibians form a vital part of the foodchain and in most cases
it's not necessary to interfere; trying to exclude predators can
do more harm than good.
Further
information
Amphibians form a crucial part of the diet of many wildlife
species so you can expect to see a number of predators in your
garden, particularly if there are frogs present. Animals that
will feed on amphibians include birds, foxes, rats, stoats,
otters and hedgehogs.
Some amphibian predators, like grass snakes, have disappeared
from many parts of the UK where they once thrived; having these
animals in your garden is a privilege.
Adding a variety of places in your garden for amphibians to hide
when disturbed is the best long-term advice. Log piles,
rockeries, dense low-growing foliage and water bodies can all
provide places where amphibians can flee from natural predators.
Cats, however, can pose a persistent problem. While some cats
may ignore frogs, others will catch, play with and sometimes
kill them. It can be difficult to exclude cats from a garden so,
again, increasing the amount of frog-friendly habitat will help
amphibians escape - especially habitats that cats will have
trouble getting their paws in to. 'Cat scarers' are another
alternative method to consider.
We would advise that pond-owners avoid using pond-netting.
Sometimes the animals you're trying to attract (like grass
snakes or hedgehogs) can become caught and die.
Making your garden frog-friendly.
Just Add Water.
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