Overview

• The natterjack toad, the UK's loudest amphibian, has bred successfully at Blackmoor in the South Downs National Park for the first time since the 1970s.
• A total of 28 toadlets were recorded following a reintroduction programme led by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) that began in 2021.
• The project involved creating shallow ponds, restoring heathlands, and introducing cattle grazing to establish optimal breeding conditions for the toads.
• Natterjack toads have lost 75% of their breeding sites in Great Britain over the past century and are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to rising sea levels.
• Visitor guidelines, including keeping dogs on leads during the breeding season from April to August, have been implemented to protect the toads' fragile habitats.