Help toads cross roads in real-life ‘Frogger’
Image: Remember Frogger, the classic 1980s computer game in which you were tasked with helping a plucky amphibian find his way home across a perilous busy road? Well, now wildlife enthusiasts can take part in a real-life version of the game after a conservation group used Google Earth to map hundreds of “toad crossings” across the UK.
The Google Earth application, which was developed by the charity Froglife, details around 700 crossings used by frogs and toads. Froglife is encouraging members of the public to volunteer for toad patrols to help the creatures get across roads safely and collect fresh data to help further conservation efforts.
The coming weeks are a vulnerable time for frogs and toads on the road as they migrate back to generations-old breeding ponds ahead of the spring mating season.
Last year, toad patrollers across the UK helped more than 35,000 amphibians to cross the road and discovered 36 new crossings.
Around 20 tons of toads are run over every year. But traffic is not the only hazard on the road for the slippery animals. High kerbs also pose a danger, steering toads towards drains where they get trapped and die.
The common toad, a charismatic amphibian with warty skin and a waddling gait, is considered particularly vulnerable and has been listed as a threatened species since 2007.
Froglife spokeswoman Jules Howard told the Press Association: “Google Earth software is allowing wildlife experts to use new creative ways to communicate important conservation issues to an increasingly techno-savvy public.
“We’re delighted that more people can get involved in the Toads on Roads campaign by using this free software.”
Visit the Toads on Roads website to install the Google Earth application and download a “patrol pack.” If you’d rather just play Frogger, click here.
[...] Help toads cross roads in real-life ‘Frogger’ | Zoogle News [...]
[...] of frogs and toads are squashed each year in the UK as they cross busy roads to reach breeding sites, prompting campaigns such as the “Toads on Roads” initiative which maps amphibian [...]
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