UK’s Loudest Amphibian Breeds in South Downs First Time in 50 Years

The UK's loudest amphibian, the natterjack toad, has made a remarkable comeback in the South Downs National Park after a conservation project launched in 2021 to restore its habitat. For the first time in 50 years, 28 toadlets were recorded breeding at Blackmoor, Hampshire, expanding the toad's presence beyond its previous single site at Woolmer Forest. The project, led by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC), involved creating shallow ponds and restoring heathlands with cattle grazing to provide ideal conditions for the toads. This success offers a hopeful blueprint for future reintroduction efforts and highlights that wildlife can thrive if given proper support. In neighboring Sussex, the natterjack toad remains locally extinct, underscoring the importance of these conservation efforts. Project leaders emphasized the significance of this achievement for the species' recovery and the protection of the last heathland bastion for the natterjack toad.