Wild Animals

Common Toad Decline: Welfare and Road Mortality

The common toad has declined by around 68% in the UK over 30 years, facing welfare threats from road mortality during migration, habitat loss, and emerging infectious disease.

Key Facts

Common toad populations declined by approximately 68% between 1985 and 2022 in the UK
Toads show strong site fidelity, returning to the same pond to breed each year even if it requires crossing busy roads
Female toads can live for up to 40 years in the wild, making adult survival critical for population persistence
Ranavirus and chytrid fungus have caused localised population crashes at UK toad ponds
Toads are important pest controllers, eating slugs, ants, and other invertebrates in gardens and farmland

Welfare Considerations

Common toads experience significant welfare impacts from road mortality during spring migrations, when thousands can be killed crossing roads to reach breeding ponds. Surviving adults face threats from drained ponds, garden chemicals, and invasive species. Emerging infectious diseases, particularly ranavirus, cause mass mortality events at breeding ponds with distressing symptoms. The loss of garden ponds and field ponds has eliminated many traditional breeding sites.

What You Can Do

Volunteer with local Toads on Roads groups to safely carry migrating toads across roads
Build or restore a garden pond without fish to provide safe toad breeding habitat
Report toad mortality events and disease outbreaks to the Froglife Disease Risk Analysis project
Avoid using slug pellets in gardens where toads may forage, as these can cause secondary poisoning