November 2022
Harriet James, of Sustainable Warminster’s Smallbrook Toad Patrol, has written the following report:
Since February [2022] Warminster’s Toad Patrollers have been recording and rescuing amphibians on Smallbrook Road.
Toads, frogs and newts are now safely hibernating on higher ground, so the patrollers have hung up their torches for the year. They have made 153 volunteer trips totalling 76 hours out on the road at night. 149 female toads, 1655 male toads, 53 frogs and 253 newts were recorded between February and October. Of these, 18% had been killed by cars.
This year the patrollers wore new printed hiviz jackets and put out reflective “Caution Toads Crossing’ signs for motorists during patrols. These were bought with a grant from the Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy Fund. One of the patrollers’ fixed triangular toad warning signs was stolen and other vandalised, but these have been replaced or repaired.The patrollers are hopeful that the Town Council’s resolution to set up meeting with Wiltshire Council Highways will bear fruit. In April they asked the Council to discuss closing the road to vehicular traffic next Spring to turn it into a safer route for migrating toads as well as walkers, cyclists and horse riders.