Froglife news

Froglife’s Dragon of the Month: Palmate Newt

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:51:00 +0000

Every month in 2012 we are featuring a fact file about a different dragon - the wild amphibian and reptile species that Froglife works to support. Great Crested Newt Revisited Project Officer Sivi Sivanesan has been investigating one of London’s shyest water dragons – the Palmate Newt.

"During over seven years of surveying for newts in and around London, I’ve heard lots of stories about Great crested newts, Smooth newts and Smooth newts that folk think are Great crested (as they have a wavy crest). Rarely do Londoners mention the shy Palmate newt.

It’s one of three native newt species, and in London, possibly the least recorded although they do seem more common South of the River Thames. In contrast, they appear to be more widespread and common in Central Scotland than the Smooth newt.

It would be great if people started keeping an eye out for Palmate newts, and sending records to us and their local record centres as they spot them. New data could help give us a better picture of what’s happening to the Palmate newt across Britain.

So what makes a Palmate newt a Palmate newt (on the outside at least)? Why not use our little the information below to see if you can spot them when you’re out and about or doing any work in the great outdoors."

Dragon Fact File: Palmate newt

Lissotriton helveticus

Dragon Facts:
- The name comes from the webbed hind feet of the breeding males, making their feet appear a similar shape to human hands.
- Both males and females grow to about 10cm long.
- They can be found in pH neutral to slightly acidic waters so are often found in areas where there are, or were once heathlands, moorlands and bogs – both in the lowlands and highlands of Britain.
- While classed as widespread and common, they are thought to be declining.

Identification: On Land
- They appear to have matt velvety dark skin (when dry) with dark bands on the faces of the males.
- Both sexes have brown to orangey/brown skin colouration and can look fairly thin.
- Females look much like female Smooth newts, so identification can be tricky. They do have pale nodules on their feet which Smooth newts lack.
- The males appear to have thicker or swollen hind feet.
- You can see more speckling along the face and shoulders in male Palmate newts when compared to male Smooth newts.
- Palmate newts also have unmarked throats (Smooth newts have spots and markings).

A Palmate newt - on land but damp, so appearing very dark in colour

Identification: In Water
- In water these features are heightened.
- In water the thicker foot of the male has a more star-like appearance as the webbing that joins the toes is exposed. Male Smooth newts can sometimes appear to have thicker hind toes in the breeding season but this is fringing and doesn’t join up each of the toes:

The webbed back feet of the male Palmate newt

In contrast, the fringed back feet of a Smooth newt

- During the breeding season male palmates have a filament on the end of their tail which male smooth newts don’t have – its easier to see in water, but it can break off so other features should also be used for identification.

Tail of a male Palmate with a double row of spots and filament

- More information available here about Palmate newts and other water dragons can be found here.
- You can support Froglife's work conserving Palmate newts and other amphibians and reptiles here.

Join us to Celebrate Leap (frog) Day!

noreply@blogger.com (info) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:25:00 +0000

Froglife is teaming up with embe restaurant in Peterborough for a night of food, fun and music.

Have you ever tried juicy vegetable jambalaya or crunched a christophine? Are you curious about jerk chicken or puzzled by plantain?

Here’s your chance to sample some African and Caribbean food whilst enjoying entertainment, socialising AND helping wildlife at the same time! What better way to celebrate the extra day in the month?

Join us for Leap Frog Day from 6pm on Wednesday 29th February for a buffet of fabulous starters and main courses of African and Caribbean cuisine, a quiz and a raffle. There will also be acoustic music from Nik Robson and Charlie Alexander.

Tickets are £12.95 a head and are available from the Froglife website, or you can pop into embe: 2 Burghley Road, Peterborough, PE1 2QB.

A percentage of the profits and donations on the night will help support our work – protecting wildlife and providing opportunities for people to find their wild side!

Part of our fundraising fun in 2012, the evening will also give you the chance to meet some of the Froglife team and find out about more our work and the wildlife we support. The event also ties in with Amphibian Ark’s global Leaping Ahead of Extinction celebrations, raising awareness about the threats facing amphibians across the world.

We hope to see you there!

What YOU Can Do for Wildlife: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:25:00 +0000

Froglife is growing a list of 12 ideas to help amphibians and reptiles in 2012. There are all sorts of things you can do to help wildlife in general, and amphibians and reptiles in particular. We’re sharing tips for our favourite actions you can be part of, and here is the second in our list of ideas.

Idea Number 2. Get Involved with a Nature Reserve.

Volunteers in the amazing landscape of Hampton Nature Reserve

Froglife manages Hampton Nature Reserve in Peterborough, and we know we would struggle to keep on top of the work load without the incredible volunteers that come out to lend a hand. We are looking for volunteers to help in a number of different ways and you can find out more here. If you’re not in our neck of the woods, you can find a list of local sites through the Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust, the RSPB, the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and many other organisations. Anywhere with a pond or wetland areas is likely to also have amphibians, and scrubby or heathland sites may have reptiles.

Tasks can be physical and muddy to help keep the habitat in top shape, involve surveying and exploring to keep records on the site, or helping other people to get out and about. It can be a great way to get some exercise and meet new people, whilst making a real difference.

Froglife’s Rebecca Neal also volunteers in public engagement work on a nature reserve. “I think it is really important to give ordinary people a positive experience outside,” explains Rebecca. “This might be signposting them to suitable walk, telling them amazing facts about wildlife or building mini shelters for action men with children. The more comfortable people feel in the natural world, the more likely they are to be interested in conserving it.”

Volunteer and Froglife trustee Frank Clark shares how he came to volunteer for us: “I was retired, not long returned from living in Italy when my wife and I followed our son and moved to Hampton. It was a case of what to do with ALL my time every day. Instead of garden centres, shopping trips and TV watching I chose to volunteer. First choice was Froglife and Hampton Nature Reserve right on my doorstep. Five years on I have developed a more balanced “working” week. Plenty of time for HNR but also time with my wife and the additional task of helping with babysitting our 3 young grandchildren – all still under 5 at the moment.

Frank and friends take a break on the Reserve

Now I visit HNR almost every morning to record the temperatures and check on the pump which controls the water levels. Once a week I walk round the reserve to check on any vandalism damage – caused both by humans and water voles. What has all this led to? I now have an interest in butterflies and birds, pond plants and, of course, amphibians and reptiles. My regrets? I would have liked to have been involved in conservation work much earlier. Be happy, volunteer!”

• You can sign up to be a volunteer on Hampton Nature Reserve by getting in touch with Paul Furnborough on 07977 250048 or emailing paul.furnborough@froglife.org

• You can find out about other opportunities for volunteering through Environmentjob , Countryside Jobs or your local Council for Voluntary Services

• We’d love to hear your volunteering stories and tips, and share them with others on our Stories page or through our Facebook profile here

Photos: Sam Taylor and Dan Waters

Join Froglife for National Science and Engineering Week

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:35:00 +0000

We’re planning our activities for the British Science Associations’ week of fun in March 2012. Froglife’s Rebecca Neal invites you to join us in Peterborough or Lanarkshire and find out more about newts on the move....

“So what, when you get right down to it, is an actual newt and what do they do?”

“I really want to dance like an idiot to cheesy music but clubbing’s not my scene.”

“It’s been my burning desire since I was small to hide under some camouflage netting and giant leaves, but where can I do it without ridicule?”

"If, like me, thoughts like these keep you awake at night then worry no longer! The remedy is just around the corner.

Froglife and friends are putting together a mind-blowing interactive exhibition to celebrate National Science and Engineering Week called “The Dragons Den: A Year in the Life of a Newt”. In this total emersion experience you will don your very own newt tail and journey through “newt world” in character and learn about these strange animals as you go.

Join us on the 10th or 17th of March to think like a newt

You’ll race across the hunting ground to avoid being eaten by a giant snake, you’ll search out some tasty invertebrates to eat and hide out under some giant leaves. The best bit though, and the part which I am most looking forward to, is the section where you’ll pretend to be a boy newt and dance to attract a lady friend. (“Ah, ah, ah, ah, staying alive, staying alive…” I know you’re secretly throwing the shapes already). How often if a lifetime does an opportunity like that come along?

Newts dance in their ponds in spring to atract a mate

If you are interested in coming along, you will find us:

• At The Discovery Den near the Visitors Centre at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 10th March

• On tour in Palacerigg Country Park Visitors Centre in Lanarkshire in Scotland between 11am and 3pm on Saturday 17th March

I would suggest bringing some small people with you as well, just as an excuse. They will probably enjoy it too."

Photo: Sivi Sivanesan. Lino print: Sam Taylor

Icy Pond Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:46:00 +0000

With temperatures outside dropping, ice becomes a common feature – making gardens glisten and turning ponds and water features into mini ice rinks. But do you need to worry about it? Froglife’s Conservation Communications Officer Lucy Benyon explains.

“Some common frogs choose to spend the winter at the bottom of ponds and the formation of a layer of ice can be a problem. Buried down amongst the mud and silt, they survive by breathing through their skin but when ice forms the frogs become trapped with limited oxygen and various noxious gases building up.

It can be very difficult to try and protect the amphibians in your pond over the winter. The frogs, and occasionally newts, that choose to overwinter in the pond risk becoming trapped if ice forms and, sadly, it’s natural for a few to die. To minimise deaths from ‘winterkill’ try to clear fallen snow from the ice, so that light can still reach the plants in the pond and they can continue to produce oxygen. If you have a pump, leaving this running throughout the winter can also help.

Frozen ponds: gases under the ice can cause a problem for amphibians

In the past, Froglife has always recommended that a hole is maintained in the ice but recent reports suggest this may not make any difference to the frogs’ survival and in some situations, when the ice becomes very thick, it’s simply not possible.

If you can make a hole it certainly won’t do any harm. Try leaving something floating in the water which can be removed to leave a hole once the ice forms. Alternatively stand a pan of hot water on top to melt one. Never pour the hot water on or try to smash the ice as this can be damaging.

A saucepan of hot water can gently melt a hole

Despite your best efforts it may be that you still lose some frogs over this wintry period. You will see them floating under the ice or rising to the surface once the ice has melted. Although this is not nice to see, it is quite natural for frog populations to suffer losses at this time of year and it should not have too much overall impact.

Fortunately the majority of amphibians will be tucked up in other corners of the garden – under logs or in compost heaps – and should suffer no ill effects from the winter weather.

To help hibernating amphibians, and reptiles, in your garden in future ensure there are plenty of hidey holes such as rockeries and log piles. It’s also a good idea to give your pond a bit of a clear out in the autumn and stock up on oxygenating weed.”

- You can find more advice on ponds in Froglife's Just Add Water publication here.
- Take part in the Pond Conservation Big Pond Thaw Survey 2011/12 here

You can also help support amphibians and reptiles by shopping with Froglife here. We have some great gifts for wildlife-friendly valentines!

Photos: Lucy Benyon & Jules Howard

Have I Got Newts For You - January News

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Your monthly round up of reptile and amphibian news from around the world, spotted by Froglife’s Conservation Communication Officer Lucy Benyon.

World’s deadliest frog finally protected
The World Land Trust is kicking off 2012 in style by helping create the first nature reserve to protect the world’s most poisonous vertebrate. The golden poison frog Phyllobates terribilis is relatively large compared to other poison dart frogs and even though its skin contains only 1mg of toxin, this is enough to kill 10 humans. This tiny but toxic frog lives in Columbia’s tropical rainforest but destruction of this habitat has left the species vulnerable. The new 124 acre Rana Terribilis Amphibian Reserve will help ensure the survival of this powerfully poisonous amphibian.
Source: World Land Trust

Weird and wonderful new species
What do cowboys have in common with 80s arcade classic Pac-Man? Well they both give their name to new species of amphibian discovered in Suriname. The cowboy frog, named for the spur on its heel, and the pac-man frog (check out the photo and you’ll see why!) are two of 46 potentially new species recorded during a number of intensive month-long expeditions to the tiny South American country. New reptiles were also discovered, including the turnip-tailed gecko.
Source: National Geographic Daily News

Warmer nests make for smarter lizards
New research by Australian scientists suggests that lizards hatching from warmer nests are quicker at learning things than their counterparts from cooler nests. It has already been established that temperature impacts on the lizards’ size and sex but this new research highlights how it also affects their brains. Data from the past 16 years shows that lizard nest temperatures have been rising, probably due to climate change.
Source: ABC Sydney

First airborne amphibian pheromones discovered
Frogs use a number of ways to communicate from the obvious – croaking! – to the less noticeable - pheromones. For years scientists have known that amphibians use water-borne pheromones to communicate with each other but a recent study has shown they also use airborne chemicals. It’s thought these odours may help frogs find a potential mate when numerous unique croakings from around the swamp make it difficult to find their own species.
Source: Chemical & Engineering News

Slumbering snakes will survive thanks to unusual habitat
Nearly 200 garter, brown and western fox snakes got a rude awakening when construction workers started repairing a railway line in Lake County, Illinois. The hibernating reptiles would not have been able to cope with the wintery weather but fortunately two snake-loving biologists and a schoolteacher stepped in to save the day. The snakes are now being housed, rather unusually, in a six foot wine chiller. This will keep them in a state of hibernation until they’re ready to be released later in the year.
Source: Chicago Tribune

You can find out more about amphibians and reptiles and what you can do to help them at the Froglife website here.

Kiss a Frog for Valentine’s Day

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:26:00 +0000

If you’re looking for a unique gift or card for a special wildlife lover, don’t forget there are all sorts of goodies in the Froglife shop that will give a gift to amphibians and reptiles too.

Hannah's lovely frog cards

- We have a pack of gorgeous cards perfect for Valentines and birthdays featuring frogs by illustrator Hannah Thomson,

- Or loveable toad cards designed by winners of our competition.

- There are also special bags of goodies for wildlife explorers of all ages, with books and ID guides.

- Or how about a beautiful print? There’s a range photos and a painting in our range of high quality glossy art prints.

- And for the valentine who has everything, you can sign up for Froglife Friendship as a gift and support our work for a year, Sponsor a Snake, Fight for Frogs or Protect a Toad in their honour.

Have a look in the Froglife shop for more gift ideas here!

Froglife Toad Patrols – Helpers Needed

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:43:00 +0000

Amphibians across the country are stirring, emerging from their winter hiding places to breed as the weather gets milder. For Common toads, busy roads all too often bisect their habitat, separating them from their breeding ponds. Last year alone, Froglife’s Toad Patrol volunteers helped over 60,000 toads to safety across the UK. We have a number of Patrols looking for extra support to go out on mild spring evenings and help the migrating toads in 2012.

Can you help a toad across a road?

The following Toad Patrols have been in touch with Froglife, looking for people to take on a leading role in coordinating volunteers:

• Boroughbridge Road near in North Yorkshire
• The Fisheries, Cranleigh near Godalming in Surrey
• Badwell Ash near Ixworth in Suffolk

There are also a number of sites across the UK where the leading Patrollers have had to retire or we have lost contact. You can view unknown and inactive Patrols on a map here, and let us know if you’d like to investigate restarting a patrol.

Additional volunteers are particularly needed to help with existing Patrols in:

• Green End Pond near Stevenage in Hertfordshire
• Great Waldingfield near Sudbury in Suffolk
• Thwaite Common near Erpingham in North Norfolk

There’s a good chance a Patrol near you is looking for help too – the map of active Patrols is here.

Registered Toad Patrol Volunteers are covered by Froglife insurance and can benefit from materials from our Tuppence a Toad appeal, including hi-vis vests and buckets, and a discount from torch and hi vis suppliers The Glow Company. We can help promote the Patrol and recruit volunteers through press support in your local area, and send you posters to display.

• You can find out more about Froglife Toad Patrols and how they work here
• If you are interested in helping out with these patrols, or finding out more about what you can do in your local patch, please get in touch with Lucy.Benyon@froglife.org or 01733 558844
• If you coordinate a Toad Patrol and would like support or volunteers please get in touch with Lucy

You can also support toads and Toad Patrollers by donating to Froglife's Tuppence a Toad appeal here, or buying toad greetings cards from our shop here.

What YOU Can Do for Wildlife: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:39:00 +0000

A big thank you to everyone who completed the Froglife Supporters Survey - we have been analysing the results and you will be seeing improvements and new things happening in 2012 as a result.

An impressive proportion of you who completed the survey are already taking wildlife-friendly action– from wildlife gardening, supporting Toads on Roads to involvement in surveys, habitat creation or fundraising. The number one thing you wanted to hear more about was how you could do even more to help amphibians and reptiles. So, here’s the first of 12 tips from Froglife to inspire you in 2012:

Idea Number 1. Dig a Pond and Enjoy the Beasties.

A flourishing widlife pond - photo: Paul Cox

Trustee Inez Smith created a pond about 6 years ago and says: “We created the pond to encourage the frogs that we often found in the garden and they breed in it now. We have also started to find smooth newts (usually 5 males & 1 female) in the pond and this year we found one baby newt. It’s a small pond but attracts a range of other creatures as well.”

- You don’t have to do it alone – there are tips in our Just Add Water publication, and Froglife’s Kathy Wormald got help from the team to create hers. Perhaps you could have a pond digging party, ask a handy friend or a local landscape gardener for help.
- Materials are available at a special offer price through World of Water stores.
- If you don’t have space for a pond of your own, local parks and green spaces often need help look for volunteers. You could get in touch with your local council or the Friends of Group for a park to see if you can lend a hand. We also have volunteering opportunities on our website here.

Both Inez and Living Water Officer Iain Maclean remind us of the value of sitting back to “enjoy the beautiful plants and beasties.” Watching the wildlife that flourishes around a pond is a great reminder of why the hard work is worth it, and our educational projects are living proof of the mental and physical health benefits.

“In the summer we spend ages just watching the pond and everything in it and it’s a lovely way to relax,” enthuses Inez. “It makes me very happy to be out digging new ponds!” adds Iain.

We’d love to hear how you get on, and we can share your pond creations stories to inspire and inform others on our the stories page of our website http://www.froglife.org/stories/

You can also help support wildife through becoming a Froglife Friend and supporter. You can sign up here.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:36:00 +0000

January 23rd is the start of the Chinese year of the Dragon, which runs until February 2013. Froglife is planning a year packed with activities to celebrate, study and conserve the UK’s amphibian and reptile species.

Great Crested Newts are a big focus at the beginning of the year. The UK’s largest newt, they are like little black water dragons with bright yellow patters on their belly. The males have a distinctive crest in breeding season, which stands up along their back when they are in the water.

A Great crested newt - the UK's largest and most colourful newt

“As a consequence of their decline in the last decades Great crested newts are a protected species in the UK and across Europe,” explains Dr Silviu Petrovan, Froglife’s Conservation Coordinator. “They are more restricted in their habitat needs than some other species and agricultural intensification, roads and new developments have all led to the loss of their historical ponds and terrestrial habitat. Maintaining and recreating habitats to allow populations to re-colonise some areas are the key for their long term survival.”

This year is also a year in which we undertake the Big Newt Count on Hampton Nature Reserve in Peterborough. Hard working volunteers and staff are helping get the Reserve ready for the night time surveys that will be starting in March to check how one of the largest populations of Great Crested Newts in Europe is getting on.

We are launching the Great Crafted Newt competition for crafty people all over the UK to make a newt using a range of weird and wonderful materials. Young people, artists and crafts people are being challenged to get creative and enter for the chance to win some great prizes!

Can you Craft a Cresty or Knit a Newt? Enter our Great Crafted Newts Competition!

There are all sorts of things you can do to get involved:

• Find out more about the Great Crafted Newt competition and how to enter here

• Fancy some volunteering? We are looking for help on Hampton Nature Reserve in Peterborough, and you can learn more about it and other opportunities to help here

• You can find out more about Great crested newts on the Froglife website here

• You can sign up as a supporter or make a donation to help save the UK’s dragons here

Photos: Jules Howard and Laura Brady

Froglife’s Newt Year Honours 2012

noreply@blogger.com (info) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:10:00 +0000

Every January, wildlife charity Froglife recognises hard working and special people with a commitment to helping conserve reptiles and amphibians. Newt Year Honour recipients range from volunteers to high profile people helping to improve the public image of snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, newts and other species. Previous honours have gone to Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Fry, Monty Python’s Terry Jones, and the creators of Bagpuss for the magical Gabriel the Toad.

“The Newt Year Honours are a way for Froglife to recognise and say thank you to people who get behind the amphibian and reptile conservation cause in a variety of ways,” explains Kathy Wormald, Froglife’s CEO. “The animals are having an incredibly tough time globally, with more species at risk of extinction than mammals or birds. They are also often misunderstood as being scary, slimy, unnecessary or just unlovable. We need all the help we can get in celebrating and conserving these incredible animals and the part they play in ecosystems and culture.”

This year, competition was particularly tight with only six categories of Newt Year Honours. The winners were selected by Froglife’s senior management team from nominations by Froglife staff and trustees.

The Young Volunteer award goes to Peter Tuck, a young person who has been involved in our Froglife Active Conservation Team project. Peter has been giving up his Saturday afternoons to help young offenders achieve their reparation hours. He enjoyed his woodwork so much with Froglife that he is now joining the Armed Forces as a carpenter.

The High Profile Person Representing Amphibians and Reptiles award goes to conservation biologist Dr Kerry Kriger, who started the American charity Save the Frogs in 2008. Dr Kriger has initiated a global Save the Frogs day, inspiring people all over the world to celebrate, learn more about and raise funds to protect frogs and their habitats into the future.

The Volunteer Commitment: Time and Passion award goes to Ash Jarvis who started on Froglife’s Wildlife Ambassador project in April 2011. Following training through the project, Ash has surveyed for reptiles and butterflies on Hampton Nature Reserve as well as completing youth volunteering training and volunteering on both Froglife’s Wildlife Ambassadors and My Wild Life projects. Ash has volunteered over 200 hours so far!

The Volunteer in Action: Hands On Conservation award goes to Jules Howard. Jules started his career in herpetology with Froglife and has since gone on to set up his own environmental education social enterprise - The Wildlife Man. Jules is involved with local toad patrols in Northampton, as well as helping to improve local habitats for wildlife, supporting schools and inspiring young people.

The Creative Support for Amphibians and Reptiles award goes to Zamba, a reggae and carnival band based in North Devon, who got in touch in 2011 to let us know we had inspired a song! Zamba created the fantastic Froglife song after reading about their local Toads on Roads patrols. The bouncy tune encourages people to remember the frogs and toads quietly getting on with their lives as we speed along, and is available to download on iTunes and Amazon with donations from the proceeds investing in our Tuppence a Toad scheme.

Froglife have also been working with World of Water Aquatic Stores, and shoppers have been able to get a great value pond creation kit which includes a Just Add Water information booklet and free Froglife Friendship. The Watford store received a Newt Year Honour for encouraging the most customers in their local area to create a wildlife pond.

How Tiny Can They Be?

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:54:00 +0000

There has been a lot of excitement about the discovery of the word's tiniest frog in Papua New Guinea. Froglife trustee Professor Roger Downie has been finding out more about this incredible animal.

"At the same time as amphibian populations are in decline around the world, new species are being discovered at a surprisingly high rate, especially in the less explored tropical rainforests: currently, over 100 new species are being described each year.

A report by Eric Rittmeyer and colleagues on two new species of frog raises the question: how small can adult frogs be?

In the UK, our Common frog Rana temporaria develops from small eggs into tadpoles that metamporphose into froglets about 8mm long. They then grow into adults about 10 times longer.

Juvenile Common frogs leave the pond at about 8mm in length, with the potential to grow 10 times longer

The frogs described by Rittmeyer (genus Paedophryne = child-like frog) are all extremely small as adults. They live in the damp leaf litter of lowland forests in eastern Papua New Guinea. Four species have been described so far, all since 2010, indicating the rich biodiversity still to be identified in that country.

So far, the smallest is Paedophryne amauensis with adults measuring in at 7.7 mm on average. These tiny frogs are direct developers (i.e. no tadpole stage) and have piercing insect-like calls. As in most miniaturised amphibians, they show specialised skeletal features such as reduced digits."

The smallest adult frog discovered in Papua New Guinea, measuring 7.7mm in length

Rittmeyer EN , Allison A , Gründler MC , Thompson DK , Austin CC , 2012 Ecological Guild Evolution and the Discovery of the World's Smallest Vertebrate. PLoS ONE 7(1): e29797. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029797

- You can read the full journal article at PLoS ONE here: Rittmeyer et al(2012) in Plos-1 volume 7 issue 1.
- You can find out more about the UK's species of frog at the Froglife website here

You can help support amphibian conservation and enable us to develop research through becoming a Froglife Friend. Find out the difference you can make for just £1.50 a month here.

Photos: Sivi Sivanesan and Rittmeyer et al.

Education Project Back thanks to BBC Children in Need!

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Green Pathways is back! And with a new member of staff at the helm. Froglife is delighted to offer even more opportunities for young people in Peterborough to enjoy wildlife, thanks to BBC Children in Need. New team member and project officer Rebecca Neal shares her thoughts on the project.

“For those froglets not in the know, Green Pathways works with disadvantaged young people in Peterborough on conservation projects across the city. It grew out of Froglife’s work with young offenders, through which many young people with all sorts of challenging behaviour have benefited from practical, positive projects.

The project previously ran for 3 years finishing Spring 2011 and supported2655 young people to get outdoors, learn more about wildlife, and build their skills and confidence.

Young people on Froglife's Green Pathways project planting up a pond

This time around Green Pathways is open to teenagers aged 12-19 and, as before, reaches out to those who exhibit challenging behaviour, lack confidence or simply could benefit from extra help to achieve their full potential. The Green Pathways team will be lending a hand to green projects all over the city, creating and restoring habitats.

I have only just started, but very shortly I shall be seeking sites to work at, young people to recruit and volunteers to assist, so if you think you can help please get in touch. ”

A trained teacher, Rebecca has volunteered teaching science in Guyana, in South America and once did a job involving hair-drying bumblebees! If you would like to get involved in Green Pathways or hear more about the project, why not say hello?

- You can get in touch with Rebecca by emailing rebecca.neal@froglife.org or calling 01733 425826
- You can find out more about Green Pathways at the Froglife website here

You can help support Froglife's work engaging vulnerable young people in conservation projects by making a donation here.

Photo: Natalie Pretsell

Six Happy Winners Help Support Conservation

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:31:00 +0000

Near midnight on the 31^st of December at the gorgeous Grim’s Dyke Hotel, the winning tickets were drawn for Froglife’s New Year Raffle. Andrew Whittaker of the Grim’s Dyke Opera Company and the Gilbert and Society drew the winning tickets for 6 fantastic prizes.

The prizes donated generously by the Grim’s Dyke Hotel, London Duck Tours, Hampton Court Palace, London Zoo, Kew Gardens and The Harrow Arts Centre and your generous uptake of tickets allowed us to raise over £700 through raffle ticket sales. In this tough fundraising climate, this was a great boost for to help Froglife’s work conserving reptiles and amphibians in 2012.

Froglife would like to say a big thank you to the generous organisations for donating the brilliant array of prizes, as well as all our friends and supporter who bought tickets.

1^st prize was won by Mr Spencer

2^nd Prize was won by Mr Thomas

3^rd Prize was won by Mrs Barker

4^th Prize was won by Mrs Loughlin

5^th prize was won by Mrs & Mr Harouni

6^th prize was won by Mrs Gilbert

Keep an eye out for other Froglife competitions and raffles for your chance to win, and help reptile and amphibian conservation!

Our London Great Crested Newts Reveisted project has been working with the Grim's Dyke Hotel, helping to conserve their historical lake where Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame met his fate. You can find out more about the project here.

Froglife has a range of projects and schemes that help conserve native wildlife, and help young people or those out of work learn more about the natural world. You can support our valuable work with a donation of any size here.

Pond Creation Volunteering in North Lanarkshire

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:20:00 +0000

Froglife’s Living Waters project is looking for volunteers to help with pond creation and management at Greenhead Moss Community Nature Park in Wishaw near Motherwell, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland on Saturday 14th January.

Come and get stuck in (hopefully not the mud) like these volunteers at Dams to Darnley

The volunteering day will include some scrub removal and the creation of a bog pool in this beautiful nature park. The session will start at 10am and end at 3pm, but people are free to come and go during the day.

If you’re joining us, please bring a packed lunch. As always, volunteers will need to be prepared for extremely muddy conditions and all weathers (wellies, waterproofs and warm clothes essential! We will be working in a very wet area).

Please let Iain know if you'll be coming, and transport can be arranged from Glasgow University by getting in touch with Iain Maclean by email here, or on 07772 318950.

If you are making your own way to the site we will meet at the entrance nearest the A721 - have a look at the map here for more information. The address of the site is Greenhead Moss, Wishaw, ML2 8AY.

We hope to see you there!

- Have a look at the Greenhead Moss website here.
- You can find out more about Froglife’s Living Waters projects here.
- More information on our growing work in Scotland is available here.

You can help support our work to create and maintain habitats for amphibians and reptiles by becoming a Froglife Friend. Sign up as a supporter today, and help ensure the future of our wildlife here.

Fancy a Green Workout?

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:20:00 +0000

Happy New Year! If you're looking for a new challenge in 2012, Froglife is undertaking a lot of management at Hampton Nature Reserve near Peterborough over the next few months, and we’re looking for help.

As we prepare for the Big Newt Count in spring, we need to ready the ponds to improve our chances of spotting the small black amphibians. This has involved cutting back reeds and bullrushes, and the chopped stems need to be scraped back to form giant compost heaps. These in turn benefit will Grass snakes as egg laying sites. In partnership with Buglife, we are also improving the habitat for invertebrates, saving ponds from encroaching willow saplings and trees.

The stunning Hampton Nature Reserve near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire

Volunteer sessions on Hampton Nature Reserve are a great opportunity to see and explore the Reserve. The site is a spectacular almost lunar landscape of hills and hollows, with over 300 ponds – a legacy of clay extraction for the brick industry. It is home to a vast array of wildlife species, including the biggest known population of Great crested newts in Europe, as well as Water voles, bats, deer, butterflies, dragonflies and other invertebrates and a range of birds.

Helping Froglife create piles of reeds, manage willow and other trees to improve the site will certainly burn off lots of calories in the fresh air! You’ll also be helping keep this important site in top condition for the wildlife, as well as meeting new people and learning new skills.

You can join the team of regular volunteers at the following sessions:

• Every Thursday from 10.30-2.30
• Saturdays from 9.30-3.30: Saturday 7th and 28th January, 4th and 18th of February and the 3rd and 31st of March
• If you fancy different days, Reserve Warden Paul will be going up there nearly every day over the next few weeks, and can do with extra pairs of hands! Do get in touch with Paul to discuss how you can help.

To sign up as a Hampton Nature Reserve volunteer, please get in touch with the warden via email here or phone him on 07977 250048. Paul will tell you all you need to know, and arrange to meet you at the start of the session. Hampton Nature Reserve is not open to the general public, so this is a great way to get involved with this precious local site.

Hampton Nature Reserve is home to around 30,000 Great crested newts

• You can find out more about Hampton Nature Reserve at the Froglife website here.
• There are all sorts of other volunteering opportunities with Froglife, in different parts of the UK. If you would like to find out more about what you can do, get in touch with Sam Taylor.
• You can find out more about the Great crested newts that live on the Reserve here.

Froglife manages Hampton Nature Reserve on behalf of O&H Hampton Ltd.

Have I Got Newts for You - December News

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:33:00 +0000

Your monthly round up of reptile and amphibian news from around the world, spotted by Froglife’s Conservation Communication Officer Lucy Benyon.

Is it a bird?... No, it’s a frog.
Northern Vietnam has shown to be home to a small species of frog that sounds more like a bird than an amphibian. The newly discovered Quang’s tree frog uses clicks, whistles and chirrups in uniquely random combinations. Further research in Vietnam has uncovered over 200 new species, including a psychedelic gecko - the lizard has bright orange legs, a yellow neck and a blue body with yellow bars on its bright orange sides; it was discovered on an island in southern Vietnam.
Source: Mongaby and The Telegraph

Is it a beetle?... No, it’s a frog
At only 8-9mm long Paedophryne dekot and Paedophryne verrucosa are the smallest frogs in the world. These tiny amphibians live amongst leaf litter in New Guinea, where miniaturised frogs are fairly common. The females of these species are so small they’re only able to carry two eggs.
Source: Science Daily

Glimmer of hope for world’s most threatened tortoise
The ploughshare tortoise, or angonoka, is native to the island of Madagascar but burning of its habitat and capture for the pet trade left the wild population plummeting. For the last 25 years the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has been working to stop the species disappearing forever and this month has been celebrating after releasing 20 captive-bred tortoises into the wild. In 1998 the tortoise’s natural habitat was declared a National Park, the first in Madagascar created to save a single species, and it’s hoped these amazing reptiles have now taken another step away from the brink of extinction.
Source: Wildlife Extra

Location of new horned viper kept a secret
Scientists have discovered a uniquely coloured horned viper in the forests of Tanzania but are keeping quiet about its location. New species, like Matilda’s horned viper, are under threat from the pet trade so the further details about its habitat are being kept under wraps. Several individuals have been collected by researchers to initiate a captive breeding programme.
Source: Mongabay

American ‘toads on roads’ group premiere their documentary
A ‘Toads on Roads’ group in Philadelphia have just screened the premiere of their documentary ‘The Toad Detour’. Every year thousands of America toads were being killed near Roxborough until the group leapt into action. The 40 minute film features footage of the toads migrating and interviews with some of the Patrollers.
Source: NewsWorks

Amphibian skin in the spotlight
Odorous frogs – so-called because of the pungent smell of rotting fish they give off – could hold the key to dealing with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Researchers found that the frogs secrete numerous chemicals to deal with the multitude of bacteria that share their warm, wet habitats and they could prove crucial in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Research has also been underway to investigate the decline in hellbender giant salamanders – scientists have been looking at micro-organisms on the skin that might explain why the salamanders are failing to regenerate tissue after injury.
Source: io9.com and The Sticky Tongue Project

Expedition to a Frog Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:32:00 +0000

With Froglife staff and trustees likely to add to their own collections of frog-inspired gifts this Christmas, guest blogger Charlie Roscoe informed us about a collection to beat all them all.

Some of Froglife's favourite frogs - the knitted stars of our Christmas card

Charlie is a biology graduate of Bristol University, recently studying purple-faced langurs in Sri Lanka and tracking bison around the forest of Białowieża, Poland. Aside from this interest in rather large and hairy forest residents, her frog fixation lead her to a Polish Frog Museum. Charlie shares her adventure below.

"Frog fanatics of Eastern Europe have really gone the full mile in promoting amphibian awareness; the Muzeum Żaby in Kudowa-Zdrój is a truly eclectic collection of all things froggy. Literally translating to “frog museum”, the small gallery exhibits all the expected specimens and displays, but has something extra special lurking in its depths.

Guests are advised before arrival to bring for donation their favourite froggy item, which is integrated into the mounting stash of ornaments, cuddly toys, cups, clocks, pictures, and more, all sharing one overwhelmingly green theme: Frogs. They’re stacked floor to ceiling and the sheer quantity shows how much the Polish nation loves these little hoppers.

The quirky frog museum is as much of a curiosity as a naturalist’s educational tool; with displays on a variety of species including the Pool Frog that was recently, and so far successfully, reintroduced to Norfolk. Prominent conservation issues are truly brought to life here through the donation of everyday commercial objects; effectively making science a more memorable, interactive and exciting experience.

All just another leap in the right direction for reptile and amphibian protection, thanks to charismatic global icons such as Kermit and Freddie!”

You can find view a range of colourful pictures from Muzeum Żaby here
There’s more about the museum (in Polish) here
And you can find out more about the Kudowa-Zdrój area in English here
You can view the Froglife collection of all things froggy on our Facebook page here and also add pictures from your own froggy collection!

You can do your bit to help conserve frogs by becoming a Froglife friend from just 34p a week. Click here to find out more about supporting Froglife’s work.

Last chance to enter our musical raffle!

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Need a last minute gift idea, or an exciting day out in the New Year to look forward to? Entering Froglife’s raffle could be just the ticket!

With support from the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, the draw will be at the Grim’s Dyke Hotel in Middlesex on New Year’s Eve and tickets are available from Froglife until 5pm on Thursday 22nd December.

We have some wonderful raffle prizes for your £2 ticket that have been very generously donated:

An opera package with the Grim's Dyke Country Hotel in London
A family ticket on a fantastic amphibious bus with the London Duck Tours
Entry for two for Hampton Court Palace
Entry for two at London Zoo or Whipsnade thanks to the Zoological Society of London
Two tickets for a production at the Harrow Arts Centre thanks to Harrow Council
Two tickets for Kew Royal Botanic Gardens

The Grim's Dyke Country Hotel

The beautiful Grim’s Dyke hotel was the home of Sir William Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame, and Froglife’s Great Crested Newt Revisited project helped the hotel with some restoration work on their lake to improve the local habitat.

Tickets for the raffle are just £2 each and available from:

The Froglife website here or by calling the office on 01733 558844 until 5pm on the 22nd of December
Or from reception at the Grim's Dyke Hotel until the draw on New Year’s Eve.

All the proceeds from the tickets will help support Froglife’s work in 2012.

A big thank you to all the organisations supporting the draw, and good luck to everyone that enters!

Photo: Sivi Sivanesan

A Froglife Song for Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:17:00 +0000

Froglife Friends Zamba, who’s bouncy Froglife song was inspired by the plight of amphibians and roads, have an EP which features the Froglife single - an ideal Christmas gift.

Zamba have been busy with lots of gigs in and around their native north Devon, and were even shortlisted for the Best Reggae Act in the South West Music Awards!

The Zamba crew (in person and virtually!) at the South West Music Awards

The carnival band contacted Froglife earlier in the year to let us know we had inspired their creativity, and the hopping Froglife song has been the theme tune for events in London and Manchester so far. A donation from the profits of the Froglife song will help support our Toads on Roads project.

You can buy the Froglife single online from iTunes and Amazon
Hard copies of the Froglife EP are available from the band. A perfect Christmas gift, the CD also makes a difference for wildlife! They are available for £6 including postage and packing by emailing Della on zambaband@hotmail.com

There are lots of other goodies available in the Froglife shop on our website here!

Glowing Support to Help Toads Cross Roads

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:09:00 +0000

Froglife has teamed up hi-tech light specialists The Glow Company to support volunteers saving toads.

As the weather begins to become warm and damp in spring 2012, Common toads (Bufo bufo) will wake up from their winter hibernation. The only thing toads are interested in every spring is getting back to their breeding ponds –generally not just any old pond, but the pond they grew up in themselves. They will try to get back there, no matter what is in the way – including busy roads.

A Common toad Bufo bufo crossing a busy road

Some animals are lucky enough to have one of Froglife’s Toad Patrols to help their crossing. This can help give local toads a fighting chance of survival into the future. In spring 2011 alone, over 67,000 toads were saved by Toad Patrol volunteers all over the UK.

“Thanks to our Tuppence a Toad fundraising appeal launched last October, Froglife can offer extra support to help the volunteers with the next migration,” explains Liam. “They can get in touch with us to access free resources like buckets and hi-vis vests.”

On top of this, The Glow Company will be offering a 15% discount on any of their luminescent products to all Toad Patrollers in time for next spring. Useful items for keeping safer whilst protecting toads include LED traffic batons, wand torches, head torches, and glow in the dark hi vis vests.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer Toad Patroller, Froglife can put you in touch with your local patrol, or support you to set up a new patrol at a toad hot-spot.
You can also help Common toads by creating a compost heap or log pile in your garden, creating a pond, and avoiding the use of slug pellets and other garden chemicals.
Toad Patrollers can find more information on the Froglife website – www.froglife.org and access the discount by contacting Froglife on 01733 558844 or emailing Liam Atherton liam.atherton@froglife.org

Beautiful greetings cards featuring toads are available in the Froglife Shop, and make a perfect gift for Christmas! Find out more here.

Have I got newts for you – November

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:04:00 +0000

Snakes on the slide
Here in the UK, experts in the South East have just declared that the adder is in more urgent need of new conservation efforts than any other reptile or amphibian species in Britain. At a recent conference, delegates heard about the drastic loss of habitat and resulting isolation and inbreeding that are contributing to declines. Meanwhile, Cyprus’ endangered native grass snake Natrix natrix cypriaca is on the verge of becoming extinct according to the island’s leading reptile expert. Despite funds being pledged for a breeding programme little has been done and drastic loss of habitat are threatening the dwindling population. In the US, an unusual step has been taken to try and establish if the South Florida rainbow snake has become extinct – a reward of $500 is on offer for verified sightings of the snake.
Sources: Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group, Cyprus Mail, Center for Biological Diversity

Frog match-maker service
Conservation group Amphibian Ark is aiming to connect supporters/donors with amphibian conservation projects in need via a new match making website. The site is currently includes 48 projects, many of them captive breeding initiatives, across 23 counties. The site is already off to a flying start – Denver Zoo has received some funding to establish a rescue population of the Lake Titicaca water frog.
Source: Mongabay

New studies shed light on deadly frog fungus
Several Researchers from San Francisco State University have mapped the emergence of the chytrid fungus in Central America by swabbing museum specimens. They’ve shown that the fungus marched southward during the 1970s and 1980s. This breakthrough technique allows species that have vanished from the wild, and only exist in jars in museums, to be tested for the fungus. Further research has been carried out by a team of international scientists, led by Dr Matthew Fisher of Imperial College London. They’ve found that trade in amphibians may be responsible for spreading the fungus. By allowing non-lethal forms of chytrid to come in to contact with each other, new lethal strains have been created which have decimated amphibian populations across the world. Another study, led by Dr Christian Hof of the University of Copenhagan, shows that the fungus is part of a three-pronged threat (with climate change an habitat loss) which could cause amphibian populations to decline faster than previously thought.
Soureces: Mongabay, Zoological Society of London and The Guardian

More species on the IUCN redlist
In November’s IUCN magazine two more frogs have been added to the ‘critically endangered’ list. The Green-eyed Bush Frog and the (fabulously named) Resplendent Shrub Frog are found in Western Ghats and Munnar and a recent study led by Delhi University found both species to be declining. Meanwhile, Madagascar’s snakes and lizards have also been added to the IUCN red list. Madagascar has over 370 species of retile, 95% of which are found nowhere else. Sadly, 40% are threatened with extinction.
Sources: IBN Live, and Conservation International

You can hear more news from the amphibian and reptile world by following Froglife on Twitter here.

A great way to suppport wildlife is by becoming a Froglife Friend through an annual donation. You can sign up to make a difference at the Froglife website here.

Raise funds for Froglife while you shop!

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Will you be shopping online this Christmas? Thousands of us choose to browse and shop via the internet at this time of year rather than face the hordes of shoppers fighting their way to the tills. And now there’s an even better reason to stay indoors…

Don't brave the cold - you can help conservation and stay cosy as you shop this winter!

Give as you Live allows users to shop online at their favourite stores and at the same time raise money for charity – at no extra cost. It’s quite simple, just click here and then follow the link to get going.

“This is a great way to make a difference as you shop,” says Froglife’s Sam Taylor. “It’s so easy and there are no hidden costs – you can shop away as normal but you'll be raising money for us at the same time. It’s a lovely way to give a little bit extra at Christmas – without actually having to give a little bit extra!”

There are hundreds of retailers to choose from on Give as you Live – from supermarkets to department stores, travel agents to fashion outlets – so you’re sure to be able to get everything on those Christmas lists. Funds are generated by shops sending a commission to Give as you Live when you buy something; this is then passed on to your chosen charity so a donation is made without you having to spend a penny extra.

- You can get started with Give as You Live here
- Don’t forget we also have a range of Froglife Christmas gift ideas on our website, with all profits supporting our work. You can sponsor a snake (or other species), purchase beautiful art prints of toads or stock up on stocking fillers like ‘Make Frogspawn Not War’ bags and frog cards. Check out our Frogalogue.*

It’s only a few weeks till Christmas and the weather is turning colder – but luckily you can do all your shopping and still stay in and keep cosy (just like amphibians and reptiles are doing!).

*Last dates for Christmas orders from the Froglife website are 13th/15th December.

You can also make donations directly to Froglife to support our work via our website. Click here to find out more about how you can support conservation this Christmas.

A Week in My Wild Life

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:51:00 +0000

Our My Wild Life project, sharing wildlife memories from different generations in Peterborough, has been gaining momentum. Project Officer Jodie Coomber tells us about one of her busiest weeks yet…

Monday 14th November
I’ve got two sessions and a conference workshop to prepare for this week so it’s all a bit hectic! Laura (Wildlife Ambassadors Project Officer) has been helping out and we’re all set for the first session tomorrow.

Tuesday 15th November
Today’s session is with St Andrews Church in Netherton, where members of the church friendship group meet with House Captains from neighbouring Thorpe Primary School. Norman shares some great stories about the freedom he had to disappear on his bike for days growing up in Scotland, and memories of watching salmon make their difficult journey upriver. The young people also meet Lorna, who grew up in the Caribbean and was terrified of the lizards that were everywhere!

Norman talking to some of the pupils from Thorpe Primary School

Wednesday 16th November
Another busy day of sessions. The newly formed Age UK Gunthorpe Friendship Group are meeting students from Thomas Deacon Academy at the Paston and Gunthorpe Community Centre. More really interesting memories are shared, including from Joan who remembers catching butterflies in order to save precious vegetables from caterpillar attacks during World War Two. The young people listening and interviewing are fantastic and really interested in hearing more.

Thursday 17th November
Tomorrow Peterborough is hosting the third annual Intergenerational Conference at the Salvation Army Citadel. We’re really excited to have been asked to carry out reminiscence workshops throughout the day. Laura and I are making decorations for the room we’ll be in – we’re going all out and creating an indoor picnic area complete with pond and kites flying overhead.

Friday 18th November
The conference is fantastic! A brilliant networking opportunity to meet local people doing similar work in Peterborough and learn more about their intergenerational practice. We also share our thoughts and experiences on how to manage intergenerational work based on the project so far.

Froglife’s workshop room at the Intergenerational Conference

It’s been a very busy week but all the hard work was worth it. We heard lots of fantastic childhood stories this week, highlighting some of the differences between the generations, and I’m grateful for the support from all the organisations involved. We’re looking forward to more of the same with future sessions in 2012.

- You can find out more about Froglife's My Wild Life project here
- If your group or school is interested in getting involved in sharing some childhood memories of climbing trees or catching tadpoles, please get in touch with jodie.coomber@froglife.org or 01733 558844

Froglife works to conserve amphibians and reptiles and the wild habitats they depend on. We also aim to enthuse future generations with a passion for wildlife and the great outdoors. You can support our work by becoming a Froglife Friend here.

Thank you for Tuppences for Toads

noreply@blogger.com (Sam) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:38:00 +0000

Life as a Common toad isn’t easy – these small amphibians face big challenges when returning to their breeding ponds every spring, and thousands of them are killed on roads as they migrate. Since the 1980s Toad Patrols of hard-working volunteers going out on damp evenings to rescue toads. Froglife would like to thank these volunteers on behalf of the thousands of toads they save every year.

We launched Tuppence a Toad in October 2010 - a yearlong push of extra effort to spread the word about the plight of Common toads far and wide. Through your generous support, Tuppence a Toad has raised extra funds to help protect toads into the future.

Lots of your tuppences will be helping Common toads

With lots of help from our Friends and supporters, the Tuppence a Toad appeal has had some great outcomes:

Over 1,000 people have been directly involved in our toad talks and events, including a Tucking in the Toads Pyjama Party, a giant toad-crossing installed in the centre of Peterborough for National Science and Engineering Week, An Evening at Toad Hall auction and dinner, a Big Saturday for families at The Manchester Museum, and a toad-themed evening with the Zoological Society of London featuring an exhibition of famous toads including Mr Toad, Frog and Toad and Gabriel from Bagpuss.
Over 3 million people have been reached through our promotion and publicity about Toads on Roads and what they can do to help.
Through engaging with audiences including families, artists, gardeners, land owners and students we have improved opinions about toads - from strange, warty creatures to vulnerable animals that are a valuable part of our natural heritage.
With your help, we raised just over £13,500 through Tuppence a Toad, with approximately £4,600 of that set aside for a funding pot to help Toad Patrollers with materials to get out saving toads.

Toad Patrollers can access free resources to help them help toads in 2012 by getting in touch with Liam Atherton on liam.atherton@froglife.org or 01733 558844. They can also access a special 15% discount off products from The Glow Company to help make sure they are visible on those dark roads next year!

Ongoing support for toads:

Although our big year of talking toads has come to an end, it won’t be the end of the efforts to keep fundraising, learning and protecting toads in bigger and better ways. The Tuppence a Toad appeal will remain open to raise the £4,000 needed every year to keep Toads on Roads going, and we are in a much better position to support toads and the volunteers that come to their rescue.

The Froglife song has been created by lovely carnival band Zamba, it's downloadable from iTunes and Amazon with donations going to help toads.

Ongoing coordination of the Toad Patrols, including insurance, mapping,

New Froglife toad merchandising including lovely greetings cards designed through an illustration competition and ‘protect a toad’ gifts to keep fundraising.

Beautiful new and improved toad ponds created in London and Glasgow to help local populations.

The creation of educational materials and resources featuring toad mascots Widdy and Wigbert named through our competion last year to help us keep spreading the word about how toads need our help.

A survey of planning departments and toad protection measures across the UK, plus a review of the data from Toad Patrollers leading to new on-the-ground projects and publications in 2012 to increase protection for toads.

Research and new on the ground projects to help inform best practice for toad conservation.

On behalf of all the Froglife team, Widdy and Wigbert and all the toads, I would like to thank you for your generous support and involvement with Tuppence a Toad – whether you sponsored someone, donated tuppences, came to an event, entered a competition or provided support through your business.

You can see some of the pictures from Tuppence a Toad on Froglife's Facebook Page here.

Photo: Laura Brady