Hello
Just to let you know that there was some western leopard toad activity in Zeekoevlei on Thursday night (4 Aug) – there weren’t too many toads on the move, but we managed to help a few safely across the road. Unfortunately there were some casualties.
There doesn’t appear to have been any activity on the weekend and it seems we need to wait until the toads start calling and then there should be some more activity.
If anyone is interested in helping the toads, you need to be out on the roads from around 18h30 and patrol the section of roads as indicated below until about 21h00 – depending on whether there is leopard toad activity or not. There will be some movement on Peninsula Road although it is not as busy as the sections of Perth and Fisherman’s Walk as indicated below.
You need to bring:
· A bucket with lid (to put toads in to transport them to the wetland)
· Headlamp & torch (so that you can spot them)
· Ruler (to measure them)
· Paper and pencil to make notes: where you found the toad, size, whether it was male or female (not always easy to tell but females are usually bigger with pale throats)
· Camera (to photograph them)
· Jiffy bags (to collect toads which have been killed off the road – the scientists need these for research). Drop the bags off at Rondevlei the next morning.
· Reflective jacket or bands or something which makes you visible in the dark!
· Warm clothing
· Raincoat of some kind
The toads must be helped across the road in the direction in which they are going.
Thanks Helen Lockhart
“WLP sanctuary” Perth Rd
1. Head southeast on Perth Rd toward Dabchick Rd 300 m
2.Turn left onto Fishermans Walk Destination will be on the right 450 m
“WLP sanctuary 2” Fishermans Walk
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=-34.056,18.497+%28%22WLP+sanctuary%22%29&daddr=-34.0556322575,18.503+%28%22WLP+sanctuary+2%22%29&ie=UTF8&v=2.2&cv=4.2.0198.2451&hl=en&ll=-34.056891,18.49999&spn=0.010791,0.01929&z=16&geocode=FcBY-P0d6D0aAQ%3BFTBa-P0dWFUaAQ&dirflg=d
We are hoping to get a lot more frog and toad activity on the full moon. I believe the 10 August. It seems they like a romantic moonlit night. The peninsula road hot spots are from no 3 [Neil and Ilse’s house], up to skippers. Calling or snoring rather, can be heard around the big palm tree on the Rondevlei side of Peninsula road outside Lauriannes house and Richards house…i think around no 7 or 10 Peninsula.
The next Peninsula road hot spot is from the z’vlei environmental centre across to the guards hut, and down toward Daltons house on the Rondevlei side.
A lot of arum frog activity can be seen on the road where the weavers nests are – at the bottom of peninsula. They too need help to stay off the roads. Last season we hardly saw any, the season before they were prolific. numbers seem to be declining.
The largest migration of wlt’s seems to feed down Perth road as Helen has indicated, towards Rondevlei. as the toads are almost ‘funnelled’ down the road, they are subject to an almost certain death from the speeding cars.
also from the Peninsula cafe towards Rondevlei along the road.
Please be careful if you are assisting toads as it seems the locals don’t give a damn about you in the road either, and we have had a few narrow glances ourselves!
What constantly amazes me is that the average motorist will steer out of the way of a stone, yet merrily ride over and burst the leopard toads when they hunker down in the headlamps.
Please drive slowly and try not to hit this endangered creature.
Frogs/Toads are our indicator species, if they are not in our natural water, the water is possibly too toxic to support life.
You can help just by slowing down and driving carefully. That’s not too much to ask.
For those of you who live in Peninsula or near one of the hot spots, please take a moment to look outside your door every 15 minutes or so, you could save a life.
For those who patrol…see you on the road. Remember to wear reflective clothing, put your hazards on and be safe.
thank you
Dagny
Well done, Dagny and Helen and the others who were involved with helping the toads and frogs across the road! Please give me a shout for the next big toad crossing – is it once a year??
I will be there to help.