Why Toads Frogs And Newts Need Our Help

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!

Last 5 posts by Mark Best

• Why Endangered Amphibians Need Wildlife Ponds - March 5th, 2010