How you can help?

The Western Leopard Toad is classified as Endangered by the IUCN as it lives within a very small part of Western Cape Province. This toad is in urgent need of conservation, but before we can make comprehensive conservation management plans, we need to find out more about how many adult toads are living in different areas.

Here is how you can help

Each toad has a unique pattern on its back which can be used to identify it, rather like a fingerprint. If we can get good images of the backs of all the toads in your area, it will help us in two ways:

  1. We can find out where the toad you photograph goes to breed each year by matching the photograph you take with images taken at breeding sites.
  2. We can use individual patterns recorded in the photographs as unique marks which can tell us how far the toads travel or how long they live, especially if the same toad is pictured many times in different places.

Here is what to do:

If you have any toads in your garden, or if you find toads at a friend's house or on a walk:

  1. Take a picture of the back of the toad.
    1. It will need to be in focus,
    2. show the whole of the back of the animal from above, and
    3. include something for scale (e.g. R5 coin, matchbox, ruler)
Good pic

 Bad pic
A useful photograph showing the markings on the back of the toad which may be used for the identification of this individual as well as an indication of size. Although this a really groovy mugshot it isn't any help to us as it does not show the markings on its back which are used for identification.
  1. Make a note of the place where you took the picture
    1. This can be a street address,
    2. a GPS co-ordinate,
    3. or you can find co-ordinates by using a web program like Google Maps, Google Earth or BGIS
  2. Make a note of the time and date that you took the picture (usually your camera will record this).

Once you have all of this information, press the button at the bottom of this page to Upload your toad.