Natterjack Toad
Why do I need to consider Natterjack Toad surveys?
Natterjack toads are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) as amended and the Conservation of Species and Habitat Regulations (2017) as amended. This legislation makes it illegal to:
- Capture, possess, sell, control or transport live or dead natterjack toads, or parts of them
- Kill, disturb or injure natterjack toads
- Deliberately damage or destroy a breeding pond or resting place
- Deliberately or recklessly obstruct access to their resting or sheltering places
- Take natterjack toad eggs
Where are they found?
Natterjack toads are amphibians, but only spend a relatively short amount of the year in water, with the rest of the year normally spent on land in and around their breeding pond. They can move significant distances between the ponds into the surrounding area to feed in areas of short grassland and scrub and are found in coastal sand dune systems, sandy heaths and coastal grazing marshes.
When do I need to consider Natterjack Toad surveys?
Any plans for proposed development or activity within close proximity of a potential or confirmed breeding pond that could harm natterjack toads should consider the potential impact and any compensation or mitigation required.
The further from the breeding pond, the lower the likely impact on the species. Survey requirements and any mitigation or compensation will be dependent on the level of the likely impact to the local population. The loss of breeding ponds or large developments close to breeding ponds are likely to require a greater level of survey, mitigation and compensation to address the impact on the local population.
The following activities could affect natterjack toads and where proposals require these activities, the development methodology should consider their presence:
- excavations and soil stripping.
- removing vegetation such as grassland, scrub, hedgerows or woodland or making it unsuitable for use by toads
- removing potential refuges such as log piles, rocks or building materials piled on the ground
- maintaining, filling in or destroying ponds or other water bodies, or changing local conditions in a way that could affect ponds such as changing the water table or increasing run off into these wetlands
- removing functional habitats which link terrestrial areas to breeding ponds.
Our ecologists have provided advice for several different sites with varying levels of impact on natterjack toad populations, advising on levels of survey work required, avoidance measures to ensure works can proceed with no impact on local populations, or developing suitable mitigation and compensation measures, ensuring projects can proceed with minimal impact.
What does a survey consist of?
What does a survey consist of?
There are several methods for surveying natterjack toads:
- Nocturnal torchlight surveys
The species is nocturnal and as such are detectable during the night, particularly in ponds during the breeding season. This can allow an assessment of population size and density.
- Refuge searching
This is a less effective method of detection and can be labour intensive depending on the nature of the site and impacts however it can be used where other methods are not possible.
- Egg searching
During the breeding season natterjack and common toad eggs can be distinguished from one another and an assessment of population density can be made based on the number of strings of eggs present within breeding pools.
- Listening for calling adults during the breeding season
Presence or absence can be determined on suitable evenings during the breeding season when the male toads call to attract females.
What can OS Ecology provide?
OS Ecology Ltd have extensive knowledge of natterjack toad surveys, impact assessments, mitigation and compensation schemes. We have survey licences for the species in both Scotland and England.