Recent, substantial, and unexplained declines of the common toad Bufo bufo in lowland England

A decline in numbers of a large common toad (Bufo bufo) population in south-east England during the 1990s, together with anecdotal reports of similar trends in other toad populations, prompted a nation-wide survey of this species. The survey also included the common frog (Rana temporaria) as a control for which there was no comparable evidence of recent decline. A questionnaire requesting information on the fate of toad and frog populations in the last 15 years of the 20th century was distributed to professional and amateur herpetologists during autumn 2001. Ninety-five respondents provided data on a total of 277 sites, including 232 frog and 202 toad populations in England, Scotland and Wales. More than 80% of the reported sites were rural for both species. Rural frog populations were generally doing well in most parts of Britain, with almost as many increasing as decreasing populations and a high proportion of stable populations. Rural toads also showed no overall trend across the country as a whole. However, regional analysis indicated that although toads were faring at least as well as frogs in the north and west of Britain, they were declining seriously in central and eastern/south-eastern areas. In these regions 50% or more of toad populations have experienced recent declines, whereas frogs have fared as well as they have elsewhere. Toads breeding alone have fared significantly worse than toads breeding at sites where frogs were also present. Reasons for apparently toad-specific declines in lowland England remain unknown. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.