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"TOAD PATROL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED"

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Spring is in the air and it is the time of year when Historic Scotland Rangers are asking volunteers to leap into action and assist with the annual toad migration.

    Early every morning Rangers carry out patrols to check the nooks, crannies and drains to ensure every toad gets to its destination safely.

    The annual ‘Watch Out, Toads About’ event will be taking place on Sunday 1st, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th April.

    Volunteers who would like to assist the Rangers with the Toad Patrols should email hsrangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or call 0131 652 8150 for further information.

    Katy Firth, a Ranger with the Historic Scotland Ranger Service at Holyrood Park, said: “In winter the toads live around Arthur’s Seat and Dunsapie Loch. In order to get to where they spawn, they have to cross a public road with high kerbs. The problem is that when they are tired and hungry they can become disoriented and unable to make that last leap to safety.

    “We need volunteers to help these amazing creatures cross the road safely.”

    To celebrate the annual toad crossing, there will also be an exhibition called ‘We Love Toads’ with prints and paintings by Emma Herman-Smith.

    The exhibition is free and is being held in the Holyrood Park Information Centre on Horse Wynd from 25th March to 15th April, from 08.30 am to 5:15pm.

    As part of this exhibition, for one weekend only on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th April , there will also be repeated screenings of a short film about the early morning toad patrols.

    For information

    Emma Herman-Smith’s website: http://www.emmaherman-smith.com

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #
  2. SRD
    Moderator

    Excellent! I'll have to let Mr SRD know, so that he and small person can make their annual pilgrimage to arthur's seat and return to inform me that they didn't see any toads.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  3. amir
    Member

    I wonder if there will be any toads out still.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  4. Uberuce
    Member

    *cue Bernard Herrmann's ultra-sleazy soundtrack from Taxi Driver*

    June 12th.

    Thank God for the rain, which has helped wash some of the toads off the sidewalks. All the animals come out at night. Toads, toads, toads, toads. It's sick, venal. Each night I have to clean the spawn out the back seat. Some nights I clean out the blood

    Posted 12 years ago #
  5. chdot
    Admin

    "

    fewer than 5% of toads reach adulthood

    "

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ch1c4

    Posted 9 years ago #
  6. crowriver
    Member

    One of the 5% lives in my allotment. I sometimes see him/her after it's been raining. Or maybe there's more than one, I don't know how territorial they are.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @crowriver

    You can sometimes see the male ones locking antlers in defence of territory, roaring and churning up the ground.

    Its a mystery to me how anyone could bring themselves to shoot one of these magnificent creatures.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  8. slowcoach
    Member

    I heard on the Radio4 programme this morning that it was 0.5% of toadlets that survived to breed - I wondered if that was low because the sample had all been "marked" by having a toe cut off! (earlier in the programme the writer described being knocked off his bicycle by a car and sailing through the air past his friends who had been in front of him)

    Posted 9 years ago #

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