Froglife

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Amphibians

Volunteer Recognition Day

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Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our operations at our nature reserves throughout the year. Whether it be running and assisting on surveys of reptiles, amphibians, birds and butterflies, or getting stuck into some habitat management, we could not operate the reserves without them.

Between August of last year and January of this year, they clocked up an impressive 953 hours of volunteering, which is 39.7 days! We have a very committed and amusing group at Hampton, who always make even the dullest days outside enjoyable and of course, we are incredibly grateful for their hard work.

What is extra special is that some volunteers will go the extra mile and we are able to facilitate some exploration of any specific interests they have to say thank you. For example, if a volunteer had a particular interest in moths, we can encourage them to learn more and help conduct butterfly and moth surveys alongside our usual tasks. This makes days out on the reserve even more enjoyable, as we are able to share our varied (and sometimes niche!) interests and make everyday a learning day, whether it be identifying ants or trying to work out what Lichen we are seeing on the trees! 

Volunteer Recognition Day is taking place on the 20th April. 

Save the Frogs Day

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Did you know it’s Save the Frogs Day on 28th April? These fascinating and important amphibians are considered to be one of our most common amphibians in the UK, but in recent years their populations have been declining substantially worldwide.

A main factor for this is habitat loss. Ponds that they would use for breeding are filled in for development purposes, decreasing habitat availability for breeding and general survival. Frogs are also frequently killed on roads whilst trying to cross to get to breeding sites.

Another danger frogs face is pesticides which accumulates in the frog’s tissue leading to a suppressed immune system affecting their mortality and can also cause reproductive changes. Air pollution and diseases such as ranavirus are also factors in their decline. Frogs are extremely sensitive to any changes in the environment, so the slightest shift in their natural conditions can drastically alter frogs’ survival. They are such an important species because they give us a great insight into the health of the ecosystems they inhabit.

We can help our frogs by raising awareness around the danger’s frogs face, being more environmentally friendly and by not using pesticides. You can also help these amazing amphibians by creating ponds in your garden where possible and making habitat stacks, let’s help save the frog’s by stacking your logs!

Find out more in our Just Add Water Guide and check out our Wildlife at Home web page for more tips!

Croaking Science: 2023 so far- what have we learned from the Dragon Finder App?

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As we fast approach the spring and our amphibians and reptiles begin to stir after their winter period of relative dormancy (known as brumation) we can expect sightings to increase in frequency. Whilst the occasional pioneering common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) or adder (Vipera berus) will emerge from their hibernacula to bask in winter sun, it’s the UK’s amphibians that bring the most herptile activity to this time of the year. This is reflected in the sightings that have been reported to Froglife’s Dragon Finder App so far in 2023.

At the time of writing (mid-February 2023), we’ve verified 42 reports submitted to the App; 24 sightings of common frogs (Rana temporaria), 6 encounters with common toads (Bufo bufo), 8 palmate newt sightings (Lissotriton helveticus), 2 smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) sightings and 1 sighting of a great-crested newt (Triturus cristatus) and an alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) respectively.

All this amphibian action heralds the commencement of their breeding season. Common frogs lead the charge; the earliest report of frogspawn this year came to us from the Isles of Scilly, 45km south-west of mainland Cornwall, reported to us on the 9th January yet seen on Christmas Eve! UK common frogs spawn earliest here due to the archipelago’s unique climate – the moderating oceanic influence on which means that winters are warmer there than anywhere else in the UK and consequently snow and frost (potentially detrimental to spawn) are rare. We’ve received a total of 11 frogspawn reports so far in 2023, with the majority of these coming from Devon & Cornwall, reflecting the relatively warm winters experienced by the southwest more broadly. We’re now looking forward to witnessing reports of frogspawn slowly popping up in increasingly northerly and easterly locations as we pass through February and into March and April.

We’ve received 6 reports of common toads, but only one of common toad spawn, reported from Devon. Interestingly, the Dragon Finder App user that made this sighting was also able to spot a number of instances of a frog and toad engaged with one-another in ‘amplexus’, the act of the male using rough nuptial or ‘thumb’ pads to clasp onto the female whilst she deposits spawn. Common toads often begin to migrate to their ancestral breeding ponds from February, waiting for a comparatively warm and wet evening to do so.

Therefore, be sure to keep a keen eye out for reptiles and amphibians as the winter draws to a close and make sure to report your sightings through our free Dragon Finder App – the data we receive provides a wonderful insight into what our species are up to, as well as when and where this activity is occurring. Happy spotting!

#StopSpawnSales- What you can do to help

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Froglife are running our #StopSpawnSales social media campaign during March to tackle the illegal practice of selling wild-caught amphibian spawn online. 

As most of us are aware, we are now in the peak of amphibian breeding season as our species are laying their eggs in ponds and pools across the country. This time of year also sees an unfortunate sharp rise in sales of wild-caught amphibian spawn (and even tadpoles) on online selling sites. 

We aren’t party poopers! We know how fascinating it can be to take spawn home, watch it grow and release the tadpoles/froglets back into the wild, but we want people to do this legally and safely! Not only is there a massive risk of spreading amphibian disease and viruses, invasive plants and invertebrates, but the sale of wild-caught spawn or tadpoles is an offence under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. 

What you can do to #StopSpawnSales:

  • Never buy wild-caught spawn/tadpoles online! If you decide to raise frogspawn, it is crucial that all tadpoles/froglets/toadlets are released to the ponds where they were found to prevent spreading disease and invasive species
  • If you see wild-caught spawn/tadpoles for sale on social media or online marketplaces, please report it to the marketplace itself in the first instance
  • If further action is needed (i.e the posts aren’t taken down), please report it to your local Police Wildlife Crime Officer (with screen shots of the advert if possible)
  • Spread the word! like and share our social media posts and encourage those around you to #StopSpawnSales 
Photo Credit: David Palmer

 

Newt Years Honours Nominations

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Do you know someone who does exceptional work for the UK’s amphibians and reptiles?

We would like to celebrate these special people. Froglife’s Newt Years Honours is your chance to nominate someone who is an amazing example of what people can do to conserve our species.  Please send the name of your nomination and why you are nominating them to: Ashlea.mawby@froglife.org by Monday 12th December. 

Terms and Conditions:

  • Full name and contact details of your nomination are required so certificates can be sent via email
  • Winners will be contacted in January 2023
  • Please do not re-nominate those who won the award last year as we want to give everyone a fair chance
  • You can re-nominate a previous winner 3 years after their certificate is issued

 

Winners 2021:

Here’s what some of our previous winners had to say……

“I have now recovered from the shock of receiving a Newt Year’s Honours Award from Froglife and wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to you and your team. My 90 year old Mum has printed up the certificate and stuck it on her fridge.”

-Victoria Ewart- 

” I was so surprised & chuffed to have received this recognition of the effort put in to patrolling the Winscombe Hill area, not only by me of course, but by all my loyal dedicated team of toaders. We really are a great team, and I have forwarded this Newt Year Award to them all.

Thank you so much. Thank you also for all your organising . I have seen Froglife go from strength to strength in the past 15 years that I have been in contact with it.”

-Joy Trusler- 

Inspired by Nature: Toad Poems

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For Halloween our Discovering Dewponds Project Manager has chosen a couple of her favourite poems from the book ‘The Book of The Toad’ by Robert M. Degraaff: 

Toads

Dusk comes suddenly on the narrow road

that follows the hill eastward and down. The woman’s

fears are the live pieces of dark that appear

where there was nothing.

 

In a tree that had been bare, she sees a dozen

great-tailed grackles slanting like eyebrows.

From a deserted hut comes a black feather of smoke

and a low voice.

 

Between the rocks, the dark is filling with toads:

their breath is the slow rising of the sky

behind her. She fears rain and she fears the toad-dust

thirsty for rain.

 

But then the evening sidles up to her,

holding out precious stones in a handkerchief.

She draws away from the opals and tigers’ eyes,

sure that she will pay

 

too much, but he touches her sleeve and she turns.

Below her in the rich light she sees a row

of trees like bubbles of blood welling up

from a cut

 

and beyond them the sky hunched like a toad

over the town, its skin mottled purple,

black, and vermillion. If this is the dark,

there is no escaping it.

 

She asks the name of the sky-toad, huge

and lovely. A tongue flickers from his mouth

and now the sun itself is a stone, burning

in his forehead.

                                                             Conrad Hilberry                                                            

 

A visit to the Gingerbread House

 

“Why, sit down!” (So I let myself settle

In a fudge chair.) “I’ll put on the kettle,”

Purred the witch. “Here, just try

Some delicious toad pie

And a cup of hot Hansel and Gretel!”

X. J. KENNEDY