Road traffic kills millions of amphibians annually during seasonal migrations to and from breeding ponds, with dedicated toad patrols and tunnel systems providing effective welfare interventions.
Amphibians killed on roads during breeding migrations die suddenly or suffer crush injuries under vehicle tires. The scale of road mortality across migration hotspots can reduce local populations by 30 to 80% over years. Individual toads killed represent welfare harm, but the population-level losses also compromise ecosystem health and the welfare of the populations themselves by reducing breeding success. Volunteer toad patrol programs that carry animals across roads at peak migration points provide one of the most accessible direct wildlife welfare actions available to individuals.