Wildlife

Wild Animal Welfare and Garden Frog Population Support

Common frogs have declined significantly in UK gardens, with garden pond creation and management being the most effective welfare intervention.

Key Facts

UK common frog populations have declined by approximately 50% since the 1990s
Garden ponds support breeding frog populations even in highly urbanised areas
Ranavirus disease has caused mass frog die-offs in garden ponds since the 1990s
Frogs should not be moved between garden ponds due to disease transmission risk
Native pond plants including water mint and yellow flag iris support frog habitat

Welfare Considerations

Garden frog welfare depends on clean, fish-free garden ponds. Creating and maintaining garden ponds directly supports frog welfare in an increasingly fragmented landscape.

What You Can Do

Create a wildlife pond without fish to support common frogs
Do not move frogs or frogspawn between ponds to prevent disease spread
Plant native aquatic plants to improve pond habitat quality