Natterjack toads are Britain's rarest amphibian, restricted to sandy heathland and dune habitats. Conservation management directly protects individual toad welfare through habitat restoration and predator management.
Individual natterjack toads at sites with deteriorating habitat face reduced breeding success and difficulty maintaining body condition in overgrown vegetation. Habitat management that maintains open sandy ground and warm shallow pools directly improves individual welfare by providing essential thermoregulation and breeding opportunities. Captive breeding programmes provide insurance against site-level losses.