Saving the Endangered Western Leopard Toad

Project Animal(s) : Western Leopard Toad
Project Category : Amphibians
Project Region : Africa
Project Type : Conservation
Project URL : https://www.ewt.org.za/WTP/projects.html#
Project is timebound? : No

Amphibians are one of the most impacted vertebrate groups at risk from roads during breeding
migrations and feeding events, in particular wildlife-vehicle-collisions (WVCs). The last 20 years have
seen a dramatic increase in efforts by volunteers and scientists to mitigate the negative effects of
roads and traffic on wildlife globally, including fencing to prevent WVCs and wildlife crossing
structures to facilitate landscape connectivity and reduce road mortality. WVCs have been identified
as one of the main threats facing the endangered Western Leopard Toad (Amietophrynus
pantherinus), found endemically in coastal suburbs in Cape Town, South Africa. Due to the
desirability of coastal land for residential homes, WVCs have steadily increased from 2008 to
present.
In 2008, a volunteer group consisting of local residents (Toad NUTS -Noordhoek’s Unpaid Toad
Savers), was established to rescue migrating toads off roads and to record observations and
locations. A ‘rescue and record’ protocol was created whereby volunteers were trained to drive the
roads bordering the breeding ponds and remove toads off the roads. A photograph of each toad was
taken and size and sex recorded. Data are collated per season and used to track roadkill numbers,
identify road hotspots and breeding ponds and to help motivate the volunteers.

Project Agency : Endangered Wildlife trust

Project Agency Contact : https://www.ewt.org.za/index.html

Additional Information :

PDF report :
https://www.ewt.org.za/WTP/project/PROJECT%20SAVING%20THE%20ENDANGERED%20WESTERN%20LEOPARD%20TOAD.pdf