Celebrating 25 Years Of Toad Closures: Meet The Woman Saving Thousands

Margaret Cooper, a Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust life member, is a tireless warrior. In the 1990s, she began a fight to help common toads cross roads. The current estimate is that 20 tons (44092.5 pounds) of toads die on UK roads yearly. Margaret knew she couldn’t save them all but could save some. She fought for a toad road closure on Beanford Lane in Oxton, Nottinghamshire. She won in 1999, and the road is off-limits to vehicle traffic every March. To mark the 25th anniversary of her victory, Margaret was awarded a sign from the Automobile Association (AA) to commemorate her work.

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Toads are not like frogs. They don’t hop-hop-hop to get where they’re going. Toads tend to meander along, moving a bit, hanging out, then moving. They like the warmth of pavement, so they tend to linger on roadways longer.

This is important because they return to ancestral breeding grounds yearly. Some toads may travel more than a mile to get “home.” They don’t understand the danger of crossing roads because, well, they’re toads, and they don’t drive. Road closures are essential to allow the toads to cross safely. Margaret Cooper’s work is considered the first toad closure in the UK. Several roads across the country have annual closures now to protect the toads.

Declining toad populations in recent years are causing great concern. Where thousands of toads previously crossed during the annual March closure, this year has seen very few toads crossing. Margaret described the numbers as “disastrous” during a live interview on March 25, 2024. Although previous toad population numbers have declined, this year is worse. Margaret and others are hoping for a resurgence in the coming years and will monitor the situation.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.