The natterjack toad, nicknamed the country’s loudest amphibian, is making a “remarkable comeback” in the South Downs National Park. The conservation project worked to give the animal a suitable home, as habitat loss is threatening the protected species.
A total of 28 toadlets were counted in Blackmoor in Hampshire after the reintroduction programme began in 2021. This is the first time the natterjack toad was recorded breeding there in half a century. Previously, the natterjack toad, known for its distinctive call that can be heard a mile away, was only found in one site at the national park in Woolmer Forest, also in Hampshire. In Sussex, the amphibian locally extinct.
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) has worked to provide a new suitable territory, including creating shallow ponds and restoring heathlands for cattle grazing. These hope to offer “perfect conditions” for the natterjack toad.
“We are delighted that everyone’s hard work is beginning to pay off and that the future of this fascinating species is looking brighter in the region,” Jack Harper, from ARC, said. “This is a great first step to recovering the species within the National Park and a good blueprint for future reintroduction efforts. Thank you to all those involved!”
Those visiting the Woolmer Forest area are being asked to keep their dogs on a lead during the breeding season, between April and August. This is to stop any disturbance of the shallow ponds, no bigger than a large puddle.
Image: Bernard DUPONT
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