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What our animals are doing this month

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Written by Paul Arestides, Transforming Lives Trainee

Natterjack Toad

Image credit: Matt Wilson

The natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita) is very rare and smaller in size compared to our common toad. They are more olive green in colour, with a very distinguishing yellow stripe running along their backs. These toads are mainly nocturnal, so are best seen in the evenings as the sun is setting. It is also a pioneer species, meaning it is one of the first to set up a home in newly formed habitats like young sand dunes. They bury themselves in the warm, loose sand around pools during the day.

 

Did you know?

The natterjack toad is also known as the ‘running toad’ because they tend to run rather than walk or hop.

Their average lifespan is 10-15 years

Their length can be up to 8cm

 

Ecology

In springtime you’ll see gathering males in full chorus singing together attempting to attract a female. These calls can be heard up to a mile away! The spawning season is between April and June. Males find a mate and spawn in warm shallow ponds, pools or puddles in dune slacks and sandy heaths. Females lay thousands of eggs in single rows (unlike our common toad that lay them in double rows) along two spawn strings. It only takes six to eight weeks for the spawn to develop in to toadlets with the yellow dorsal stripe clearly visible.

Females lay thousands of eggs in single rows. Image Credit: Matt Wilson

Mainly found in coastal sites across the northwest of England and the Solway Firth in Scotland, they cling on in just a few other places in the sand dunes of East Anglia and heathlands of Surrey and Hampshire.

At this time of year, adults and metamorphosed toadlets spend time building up plenty their reserves in preparation for the winter months ahead. Through winter they will take shelter burying themselves in the mud or sand, under logs and rocks.

Threatened by habitat loss, the natterjack toad has declined massively over the last few decades. As a result of this, it is strictly protected by British and European law which makes it an offence to kill, injure, capture or disturb them; damage or destroy their habitat; or possess them or sell or trade them in any way. This also applies to larval stages and eggs.

Image Credit: Tracy Farrer

 

Remember, if you spot a natterjack toad or any other amphibians and reptiles (including young and eggs), log your sighting on our free Dragon Finder app. 

On The Brink – Britain’s most vulnerable Amphibians and Reptiles

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Written by Charles Bonnett, Transforming Lives Trainee. 

Many species across this country – and the wider world – are experiencing population declines. Reptiles and amphibians are no different, as 4 out of Britain’s 13 reptiles and amphibians are considered under threat of extinction. In this vein, let’s take a brief look at our rarest amphibian and reptile.

Northern pool frog

Pool frogs are our rarest amphibians; not only that, but they are also the most vulnerable out of our 13 reptiles and amphibians. They were presumed extinct in 1995 but have since been reintroduced in East Anglia from pool frog populations in Sweden. Similarly to common frogs, male pool frogs are around 6cm in length, with the larger female reaching up to 9cm. They are generally brown or green in colour, with a cream or yellow dorsal stripe, and have a pair of ridges along their back. A distinct feature of the pool frog is their vocal sacs found on the sides of a male’s mouth, which can produce a loud call during breeding season.

Rare ponds named ‘pingo’s’ (the result of glacial activity during the last ice age) are their favoured habitat for breeding, and therefore the succession and destruction of these landscape features has contributed to the decline of the pool frog.

Smooth snake

Image Credit: Matt Wilson

Smooth snakes are our rarest reptile. Not only are they uncommon, but they are incredibly secretive animals, rarely basking in the open. Their name is derived from their scales, which are smooth in comparison to the keeled scales of their counterparts, the grass snake and adder. Adults reach about 60-70cm in length, with females often being the larger sex. They possess quite an understated colouring, consisting of grey and brown, with a distinctive eye stripe extending from the eyes across the side of the head. 

As rare as the smooth snake themselves, is their favoured habitat. They are restricted to heathland primarily in Dorset and Hampshire. They prefer mature heathland vegetation, which can provide suitable cover and a supply of food. Unfortunately, heathland habitat suffers from degradation, due primarily to development, farming, human activity, and natural succession. All these factors impede upon the already diminished smooth snake’s habitat.

Despite the difficulties our amphibians and reptiles are facing, there are many ongoing amazing projects and initiatives with the intent to aid the survival of these animals. As time progresses, we will surely need to stay vigilant regarding the health of reptiles and amphibians and their habitats.

Every little helps, so if you spot any amphibians and reptiles whilst out and about, consider recording them on our free Dragon Finder app.

A Garden Pond Over 19 Years

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Written by Johanna Griffin

People often say it would be nice to record what’s going on in their wildlife gardens and its really easy to become a Citizen Scientist and gather information that is useful to organisations such as Froglife. Jo Griffin has been keeping records of what’s going on in her pond for nearly 20 years and Froglife are looking to see if they can provide additional information about how frogs are responding to temperature changes across the UK.  In this article Jo outlines her work and shows how simple record keeping and regular surveying over long periods can provide a valuable indication of how that natural world fluctuates and changes and may be of importance as a way of monitoring changes to species distribution and abundance.

I was so excited to see a garden pond with frog spawn in it, together with two adult frogs climbing up the waterfall, when we went to view the potential new home for a viewing. It clinched the deal-we had to buy this property! The pond was very new then- the maximum possible age was 3 years. The garden was sparse at the time and situated on a slope with sapling trees behind the garden in open space, leading to the foothills of the Ochil Hills of Clackmannanshire. (The wee county with the long name)! We planted more shrubs and trees and over the last 19 years the garden has matured beyond all recognition. The saplings behind the garden, (planted sometime around 2002) are now VERY tall, mature trees in what has become a woodland habitat supporting all manner of wildlife.

I have always been fascinated by frogs since childhood. (Remember trying to ‘hypnotise’ them by gently stroking their noses when their heads popped up to the surface?!) Having my own garden pond at last was therefore very exciting, and I look forward each year to the frenzied activity of mating frogs filling the pond in what I term ‘frog-fest’! I have kept records since 2005 of the date of first spawn appearing, and other interesting observations, such as the maximum number of frogs visible in the pond at the time that I was looking out of the kitchen window. Some years it was necessary to video the pond in order to count the huge numbers of frogs accurately. (They keep diving and swimming across the pond…..it makes counting very difficult)!

The pond is roughly triangular in shape and holds approximately 1848 litres of water. There is plenty of mud on the bottom, and despite vigorous efforts to remove so-called ‘dwarf’ water lilies, which have taken over much of the surface, enough of the rhizomes remained to grow again this season. The underside of these lily pads attract small leeches when in contact with the water. Brooklime, water forget-me-not and duckweed cover the remaining surface currently. 

The pond when new in 2007 The pond now in August 2024 Plenty of tadpoles

Below is a table of First Spawning dates, with notes on the maximum number of frogs
counted at any one time during the day:

Year Date of first spawning Notes
2005 18th March  
2006 19th March Greater water boatmen infesting pond
2007 26th February 44 frogs seen at lunchtime
2008 24th February 70-80 frogs during day. (Mass migration of frogs
crossing A91 at 22.45hrs on 01/04/08)
2009 26th February 60-70 frogs during day
2010 12th March 53 frogs seen sunny lunchtime. 1 taken by heron!
No tadpoles left in pond by 18/04/10. Pond froze
over twice after spawn was laid.
(Mass migration of frogs crossing A91 from River
Devon to farmland on other side of road. Loads
were squashed unfortunately)
2011 7th March 32 frogs during the day. By 29th May most of
tadpoles missing from pond.
2012 Sometime between 17:00, 29th Feb and noon 4th March 103 in pond on sunny day. Not many tadpoles
survived however. Blanket weed problem?
2013 6th March 80+ frogs seen on sunny lunchtime. Great year for
tadpole survival. An unusual year- frogs came and
spawned in 3 distinct waves over several weeks.
Exceptionally cold weather this March.
2014 10th March 60+ frogs. Best tadpole survival yet. 1/06/14- loads
of froglets with varying lengths of tail hopping
around the fern and dianthus plants on patio. Mass
movement of froglets from pond to garden and
beyond on 13/06/14. Awkward sideways flopping
movement noted. Does the tail unbalance them?
Best year yet for tadpoles ad successful dispersal
from pond. 16/06/14-all gone from pond.
2015 5th March 50+ frogs seen in pond.
2016 10th March Approx. 40 frogs seen.
2017 24th February 50-60 frogs
2018 11th March 24 frogs only seen
2019 1st March 13 frogs only. Lowest number of frogs yet.
2020 8th March Approx. 25 frogs. (Nearby house had 1st spawning
on this date too).
2021 1st March Max. of 32 frogs seen during the day
2022 Sometime between 12th and 16th March Max. of 20 frogs
2023 22nd February Max of 28 frogs seen in afternoon. Approx. 11
individual spawnings counted.
2024 29th February 45 frogs seen during day

March for Clean Water: Feargal Sharkey leads a call for clean water and invites outraged public to join him on October 26th. Stephen Fry narrates film to get “Britain’s waters off life support”

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Froglife has joined a coalition of the concerned calling on everyone in the country angry at the state of water to join us to demand that our new government takes urgent action to address the UK’s alarming and dangerous water pollution crisis by marching through Central London on Saturday 26th October. 

The March for Clean Water, which is timed to mark the end of the first 100 days of the new government, and days before the Chancellor’s first budget (October 30), when environmental campaigners will be watching closely for financial commitments to protect the environment, will involve scores of participating groups and well-known personalities, including river campaigner Feargal Sharkey. 

We are inviting the public to join in one simple demand of Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer: to take immediate and decisive action to end the poisoning of our rivers, lakes, wetlands and seas by the lethal cocktail of raw sewage, agricultural waste and other chemical pollutants, that over recent years have been allowed to leave most of our waterways so filthy that they present major risks to human health and untold damage to nature.

This must include:

  • a plan to address the continuous illegal dumping of raw sewage by the water companies;
  • a full set of solutions to end all other major sources of water pollution;
  • the reform of our failed regulatory system, including Ofwat and the Environment Agency, so the law can be effectively enforced against polluters

We urge everyone who cares about clean water to unite and march through central London to Parliament Square on Saturday 26th October.  The march is inclusive, accessible, step free and everyone is welcome to join. Marchers are encouraged to wear blue to symbolise clean water; to let their creativity run free and bring noise, placards, puppets, posters, banners, costumes, marching bands and musical instruments.

Whilst the introduction of a Water Bill in the King’s Speech on 17th July is welcome, the proposed initiatives revealed so far to improve water quality are not nearly extensive enough to address the scale of the UK’s water pollution crisis. It is therefore essential that this prospective legislation includes a comprehensive set of measures to end all causes of water pollution and to do so now.

The March for Clean Water is coordinated by River Action and Feargal Sharkey in close collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage and major charities and governing bodies including the Clean Water Sports Alliance, British Rowing, British Canoeing, British Sub Aqua Club, Froglife, Greenpeace, RSPB, The Women’s Institute, The Wildlife Trusts, Angling Trust, SOS Whitstable, Wildlife and Countryside Link, The Rivers Trust, Ilkley Clean River Group, Soil Association, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution and many local community groups from across the country. 

 

Quote from River Campaigner Feargal Sharkey:

“We call on the Government to end the environmental devastation being inflicted upon our rivers, lakes and seas. It stops here, it stops today, it stops now. End pollution, end polluting for profit. Government must order an urgent root and branch review of the failed oversight and regulation of the water industry.  It is now time to hold to account those industries that for too long now have been allowed to knowingly and wantonly pollute our waters driven by nothing more than profit and greed. We call on everyone in the country who is concerned or angry at the state of our waters to join us and march.”

Quote from Chair and Founder of River Action, Charles Watson:

“The initial noises coming out of our new government regarding cleaning up our filthy waterways, whilst encouraging, do not nearly go far enough to deal with the scale of the problem they have inherited. Nothing short of wholescale reform of our failed regulatory system and comprehensive strategies to address all major sources of pollution, including sewage discharges and agricultural run-off, will suffice. On the 26th of October the public will make this point very clear to Sir Keir Starmer in no uncertain terms.” 

Background to the UK’s water pollution crisis can be found in this hard-hitting short film narrated by Stephen Fry.

For more information about attending the March for Clean Water visit marchforcleanwater.org

National Allotments Week 

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Written by Paul Arestides, Transforming Lives Trainee. 

It’s National Allotments Week which will run from 12th-18th August 2024. The week marks the 22nd year of celebrating allotments through The National Allotment Society‘s annual awareness campaign.

As part of this, they will be celebrating and educating on pollinators, wildlife, eco-friendly pest control, companion planting, soil health and much more.

This years theme will be ‘Celebrating Biodiversity on UK allotments’. There is no better way to embrace this than creating a pond for you and all the people on the allotments to enjoy. Why not create a community pond inviting people to join in? There is loads of advice in our Just Add Water booklet.

Creating a pond on an allotment is becoming more popular. The UK has lost so many ponds to development and intensive farming that these small havens can only be beneficial. Toads, frogs, and newts will readily take up residency and are very helpful for anyone growing fruit and veg, feeding on invertebrates, slugs and many more creatures that can be a challenge for gardeners to cope with. 

A healthy population of amphibians in your garden will help you control these pest species without the use of chemicals, so it’s a positive for everyone! 

You can visit our website to find out more about wildlife-friendly features for your allotment and all the benefits they can bring.

All About Adders

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Written by Charles Bonnett, Transforming Lives Trainee. 

The common European adder (Vipera berus) is one of three native species of snake found in the UK. It is unique amongst our native snakes in it’s ability to produce venom, contributing to their undeserved dangerous reputation. Beyond this reputation, they are notable for their distinct physical characteristics, unique population distributions, and place in folklore and mythology.

 

Physical Characteristics

Adders are small but stocky, growing up to a length of 60-80cm. They can be found in several colourations, varying from silver-grey in males to brown and copper in females. Melanistic adders can also be seen rarely, in which the increased amount of black pigmentation portrays a uniform black colour. Their distinct zig-zag pattern which extends down their back is also one of their most recognisable physical traits, and can be an ideal characteristic to look out for should you catch a glimpse of what you suspect may be an adder. Keep an eye out for a reddish iris as well, as this can be a distinctive feature.

 

Distribution and Habitat

The adder is notable for its ability to survive in northerly habitats, where it has been recorded as far north as the Arctic Circle; amazingly, this means that no snake can be found further north than the adder. Adders prefer open habitats, such as heathland, moorland, and sea cliffs. Ideally, their wider habitat contains a diverse and sporadic vegetation structure, and comprises of transitional zones between connected habitats; this offers suitable protection from predation, access to locations suitable for basking and hibernation, and abundant prey.

 

Hunting Behaviour and Diet

Whilst we’re on the topic of prey, adders will eat a range of animals, but have a preference for small mammals, such as voles and mice. They will also eat small amphibians, including frogs and newts, and they may try their luck with nesting birds. In warmer weather, they adopt a more active hunting approach, whilst during colder conditions they prefer ambush-style tactics. Once they have locked onto their potential target, they immobilise and subdue it via their venom, after which they consume their victim whole. Remarkably, due to their ectothermic nature and slow digestion time, they can survive on very small quantities of food – as little as a single small mammal a month!

 

Adders and Humans

Adders and humans have had a long and complicated history. In English folklore, an adder on your doorstep was considered a bad omen; likewise, serpents more generally have historically been associated with deception and evil.

Our modern relationship continues to become more intricate. Adders are a protected species under Section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is therefore illegal to injure, kill or sell this species.

Despite this, adder populations are struggling in the UK. As we discussed earlier, many people are fearful of adders – despite the fact that they very rarely attack humans and are very reserved – which unfortunately results in undue prosecution. Similarly, human activity, including infrastructure development leading to habitat loss and fragmentation, human-driven climate change, and pesticide use, have further negatively impacted adder populations.

Ultimately, adders deserve an opportunity to continue to co-exist alongside humans. Their remarkable ecology, ecological importance, and unique characteristics surely emphasise the need for continued education and conservation surrounding our amazing adders.

If you see an adder, or any other reptiles, you can record your sighting on our free Dragon Finder app, which will assist with our reptile conservation efforts.

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