The natterjack toad (''Epidalea calamita'') is a

toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...

native to sandy and

heathland A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler ...

areas of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. Adults are 60–70 mm in length, and are distinguished from common toads by a yellow line down the middle of the back and parallel paratoid glands. They have relatively short legs, which gives them a distinctive gait, contrasting with the hopping movement of many other toad species. Natterjacks have a very loud and distinctive mating call amplified by the single vocal sac found under the chin of the male.

Life history

Natterjacks live for up to 15 years, and feed mainly on insects, especially beetles. At night, they move around open terrain with sparse vegetation, and their tracks can often be seen in loose sand. They move considerable distances each night, enabling the species to colonize new habitats very quickly.

Reproduction

The natterjack toad spawns between the end of April and July, laying strings of eggs in shallow, warm pools. Because the natterjack toad is often present in low numbers, its loud mating calls are important so that the sexes can find each other. For natterjacks, pools need to have a very slight slope with sparse vegetation on the banks and in the water. As such pools are often temporary, sometimes the tadpoles die when the pools dry out. The natterjack compensates for that risk by mating over an extended period each summer. Thus, in September, the age of the juveniles can vary from one to three months. Early breeders seldom breed again later in the season, though some females do spawn twice in a year.

Distribution

Populations of the natterjack extend through 17 European countries. In the UK, the toad is now almost completely confined to coastal sites. The natterjack is the only species of toad native to Ireland. It is found in

County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...

( Dingle Peninsula and

Derrynane Derrynane, officially Darrynane (), is a small village in the civil parish of Kilcrohane in County Kerry, Ireland. It is located on the Iveragh peninsula, just off the N70 national primary road near Caherdaniel on the shores of Derrynane Bay. ...

) and also in

County Wexford County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinns ...

, where it was introduced to a dune site. In mainland Europe, particularly in the southern part of its range, it lives inland in a variety of habitats.

Conservation

UK

In the UK, the threatened status of the species resulted in a national Biodiversity Action Plan designating it as one of three protected amphibians. Reasons for its threatened status include: *

Loss of habitat Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

from

human overpopulation Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

* Deterioration and loss of lowland heaths * Reduction in habitable coast from construction of dykes and seawalls * Acidification of aquatic habitat from

acid rain Acid rain is rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). Most water, including drinking water, has a neutral pH that exists between 6.5 and 8.5, but acid ...

and other

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

In England, the toad's

sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

habitat is protected by a number of national nature reserves. For example, in the north-west, reserves are at

Hoylake Hoylake is a coast, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. It is at the north west of the Wirral Peninsula, near West Kirby and where the River Dee, Wales, River Dee meets the Irish Sea. Historic counties of En ...

, Ainsdale Sand Dunes, North Walney and Sandscale Haws. In Scotland, where the species is confined to the

Solway Firth The Solway Firth ( gd, Tràchd Romhra) is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria (including the Solway Plain) and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in ...

, a reserve is at

Caerlaverock Caerlaverock (; gd, Cille Bhlàthain) is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The parish was historically in Dumfriesshire. The area includes: * Caerlaverock Castle, a 13th-century castle, located south of Dumfries, Scotland * Ca ...

. In Wales, the species became extinct in the 20th century, but has been reintroduced as part of the Biodiversity Action Plan.

Ireland

To reverse habitat loss, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has created ponds for the species with some funding from the

Heritage Council The Heritage Council ( ga, An Comhairle Oidhreachta) is an organisation created by the Irish government to "engage, educate and advocate to develop a wider understanding of the vital contribution that our heritage makes to our social, environmenta ...

. The natterjack is considered endangered in Ireland. , a project involving Fota Wildlife Park and the National Parks and Wildlife Service has released 6,000 toadlets into their natural range in County Kerry.

References

External links

Amphibians and Reptiles of EuropeFauna Europaea
West Palaearctic distribution.
Natterjack Toad Species Action Plan
(pdf). Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (July 2009) — via Internet Archive.
Natterjack Toad V 2.1. (Species Action Plan)
(pdf) Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (April 2010).
Competencies for Species Survey: Natterjack Toad
(pdf). Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management – CIEEM (25 April 2013). * * * * * Last updated 2015-05-12. {{Taxonbar, from1=Q622886, from2=Q15727739 Bufonidae Amphibians of Europe Amphibians described in 1768 Articles containing video clips Taxa named by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti