Toads Valentine's Day

PondWatch is asking you this Valentine's week to look out for toads getting together in your garden. Spread the love for amphibians and watch as they head back to their ponds for the breeding season. 

PondWatch is a community science project where we're asking you to spot wildlife in your pond and share sightings to help pond conservation. Jersey has three native amphibian species, and a host of other wildlife for which ponds are a vital habitat for them to survive.   

At this time of year toads will be making their way back to ponds for breeding. The female toads are larger than males and there is high competition to find a mate. The males have dark colour specialized pads called nuptial pads on their fingers. These pads help them cling to a female. The females will carry the male around until she is ready to release the eggs in the pond. Toads fertilize their eggs externally, so for the male to be in with a chance he needs to hold on tight. You might see lots of males trying to pull each other off a female – a bit of rough and tumble can be dangerous in the water as toads need to breath air.  

Now we’re just looking out for toads heading to ponds and if you spot a toad on the move let us know. Later this year we’ll be on the lookout for eggs and tadpoles, so stay tuned as the weather warms up and keep a watch on your ponds!     

Watch out for breeding toads this week and share your sightings from your pond here: Pondwatch JE - level 1 survey form | Jersey Biodiversity Centre  

If you don’t have a pond but still see toads and other amphibians in your garden, please record any sighting you have and add a casual record.

Photo credit: Miranda Collett