toads

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.   

For educators who want to advance their knowledge and practical skills for pond environments and pond dipping. Tickets available here 

About this Event

This training is for educators in Primary schools, activity clubs, or in other areas of education.

The Jersey toad (Bufo spinosus, known locally as the Crapaud) has an iconic status and was once a familiar sight in island ponds and waterways. Recently numbers have declined and so, since 2005, conservationists have been using toad sightings to create an island wide picture of the toad’s distribution, abundance and breeding patterns.

What do we know already -  

Now is the time of year you can witness tadpoles if your lucky enough to have pond in your garden or at school. We recently went pond dipping at D’Auvergne school where we found loads of tadpoles in the first stage of their development - without any legs.

Over time you get to see them change as they undergo metamorphosis, which is the process where they grow legs, absorb their tail and eventually turn into adult toads.

Did you know that when an animal undergoes metamorphosis their DNA doesn’t change even though they completely change their appearance.