Somerset Wildlife Trust is appealing for Burnham-On-Sea residents to join its survey and help spot frog spawn and toad spawn this winter.
The Frog & Toad Spawn Count, an annual citizen science event hosted by Somerset Wildlife Trust, is running until 31st March.
People across the Burnham-On-Sea area — including families, businesses, and wildlife lovers — are being asked to help spot frog and toad spawn in their local area and share their sightings.
Somerset Wildlife Trust says the information will help it to build up a better picture of the state of nature in Somerset.
A spokesman says: “The Frog & Toad Spawn Count runs until the end of March, and anyone in Somerset can get involved using a computer or a mobile device.”
“The Trust is encouraging Somerset residents to keep their eyes peeled for any frog and toad spawn they find while out and about, whether it’s from their garden pond or spotted during an adventure in the countryside.”
“Frogs and toads are ‘indicator species’, which means since they absorb water directly through their skin. They’re especially vulnerable to water pollutants like pesticides and are some of the first species to be affected by degradation of the environment and the impacts of climate change.”
“The Frog & Toad Spawn Count is all about encouraging more people to help collect data on these indicator species — allowing Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Somerset Environmental Records Centre (SERC) to build up a better picture of the status of Somerset’s wildlife.”
“As this is an annual event, the Trust is also able to compare records from each year, helping it to spot trends in populations and any declines that can be identified.
To take part, download your free spotter guide via the Somerset Wildlife Trust website here.
