In the United Kingdom today the amphibian popuation is swiftly dwindling and faces long term survival challenges of almost overwhelming proportions. The key factors lending to this decline are habitat loss, pollution and disease. Many experts concur that unless something significant is done we could see the loss of these amazing animals in our lifetime.

When i think myself back to my childhood days I remember many a fine day as a boy with my friends at the local pools or the brook, endless summertime days of catching toads and frogs and sticklebacks (we always let them go!). I was lucky, i had a terrific childhood.

I travelled back to visit the region i grew up in a few years ago, there is now a car park where those fantastic old ponds were. Evidently severely contaminated the brook seemed stone-dead and ruined. It made me realize exactly how rare natural habitats like this are, specially these days in the city.

The total number of habitats wasted to development has been catastrophic and irreversible. Many sites have been preserved from development by the presence of great-crested newts or natterjack toads, the rarest of our native species.

Manchester Airport was in the news lately, after work was very delayed on its third runway to rescue a great-crested newt settlement and relocate all the individuals, at a substantial cost.

But immeasurable thousands of ponds and waterways in the UK who did not benefit from the presence of either of these two residents have already been developed, huge amounts of Newts, toads and frogs decimated and the huge biodiversity of plants, animals and insects that existed there gone too.

Even whilst combating habitat loss, the threat of disease cannot go dismissed. The frog population in the south east of the nation has already experienced devastating outbreaks of Ranavirus. This incurable disease is believed to have originated in North America and spread to the UK by the introduction of non-native species. All three species of newt and the common toad are likewise at risk from infection.

Fortunately, the developing popularity of natural gardening techniques and practices offers a glimmer of hope in the fight for the future of these unreplaceable and charming animals. Although there is no defence against the Ranavirus, anyone could effectively and easily add to the amount of viable habitat they have got. Easy to create and manage, a wildlife pool will beguile and educate all ages, and it can look pretty amazing besides!

Even a really little simple pond can become an oasis, plentiful in biodiversity and of interestingness all year round. Then dont you think its time to bring a little piece of nature into your life, your kids lives? Go in the garden in the clean air and start creating!

In the United Kingdom today the amphibian popuation is swiftly dwindling and faces long term survival challenges of almost overwhelming proportions. The key factors leading to this decline are habitat loss, pollution and disease. Many experts agree that unless something significant is done we could see the loss of these amazing animals in our life-time.

When i think myself back to my childhood days I can recall many a fine day as a boy with my friends at the local pools or the brook, endless summertime days catching frogs and newts and sticklebacks (we invariably let them go!). It embodied a really great childhood, I was very lucky.

I travelled back to visit the region i grew up in a few years ago, and there is now a car park where those wonderful old ponds were. Obviously severely polluted the brook appeared dead with all visible life wiped out. These days in our over-developed urban regions such habitats are growing rarer and rarer.

The complete number of habitats lost to development has been catastrophic and never-ending. The development of many wetland sites has been checked when discovered to be home to natterjack toads or great-crested newts, our 2 rarest amphibians.

There was a well publicized example recently where a colony of great-crested newts was resettled, at a great expense, to make way for a new runway at Manchester Airport.

Still the amount of waterways and ponds that were not fortuitous enough to house either of these two species and have been developed total in the thousands, extraordinary numbers of Newts, toads and frogs eliminated and the tremendous biodiversity of plants, animals and insects that dwelled there exterminated too.

As if this is not sufficient to deal with, the spectre of dangerous viral contagions wont go away. The frog population in the South East of the nation has already experienced devastating outbreaks of Ranavirus. A non-native amphibian species is thought to have brought Ranavirus into the United Kingdom, most probably from North America.There is no cure at present. It can also infect the Common Toad and all 3 of our newt species.

Nonetheless, there is hope for the future. Enhanced awareness of green matters and a boom in gardening popularity may help to spare these captivating and endearing creatures from extinction. Although there is zero defence against the Ranavirus, anyone could effectively and easily contribute to the amount of viable habitat they have got. Educational and enriching, a simple to establish and maintain wildlife pool will fascinate young and old, and can look undeniably glorious.

Even a very small simple pond can become an oasis. Absorbing for all of the year with its numerous inhabitants. So make time for a piece of nature in your life, your youngsters lives. Go build yourself a wildlife pool and do your bit!