Natterjack toad makes 'wonderful' comeback at national park
The natterjack toad, the UK's loudest amphibian, has made a "remarkable comeback" at a national park following a conservation project.A total of 28 toadlets were recently counted at Blackmoor, Hampshire, in the South Downs, following the reintroduction programme, which started in 2021.It is the first time natterjack toads have been recorded breeding at the site in 50 years.The toad, which has a distinctive rasping call that can be heard up to a mile away, had previously only been found on a single site in the national park at Woolmer Forest.
In neighbouring Sussex it is considered locally extinct.The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) charity has led work to provide new suitable territory for the toads.This included creating shallow ponds and restoring heathlands for the introduction of cattle grazing to create "perfect conditions" for them to return.
Jack Harper from ARC said: "We are delighted that everyone's hard work is beginning to pay off and that the future of this fascinating species is looking brighter in the region."This is a great first step to recovering the species within the national park and a good blueprint for future reintroduction efforts."Olivia French, heathlands project team leader for the park, said it was a "wonderful success story for nature recovery" that shows "wildlife can thrive if given half a chance".The future for natterjack toads was "certainly looking brighter than it was", she said, with a breeding population at Woolmer and now Blackmoor as well. "This area is the last heathland bastion for this iconic species and extending their habitat range is a big step forward in stopping the species becoming locally extinct," she added.
Ms French said that 75% of breeding sites in the UK had disappeared in the past century.The toads are now almost exclusively confined to coastal sand dune systems and grazing marshes in north-west England and the Solway Firth in Scotland.She added: "They are one of the most at-risk species from climate change because of rising sea levels, so this makes the comeback in Hampshire all the more significant."
You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
New ultrasound forecast to cut Addenbrooke's treatment times
NHS patents will be the first in Europe outside a trial setting to have access to a liver cancer treatment described as "cutting-edge and non-invasive".Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge will start using a histotopsy system, an ultrasound treatment that can be delivered in a single short session. It could potentially take no longer than 30 minutes with limited or no pain and a quick Sinker, chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH), said the technology could make a "huge difference" and reduce cancer treatment times. The Edison Histotripsy System, made by US-based HistoSonics, is expected to be fully installed at CUH later this year. It will initially be used to treat patients with primary and secondary liver tumours, and research is exploring its potential on treating other hard-to-reach Sinker said: "Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that will make a huge difference to patients. "By offering this non-invasive, more targeted treatment, we can care for more people as outpatients and free up time for surgeons to treat more complex cases. "The faster recovery times mean patients will be able to return to their normal lives more quickly, which will also reduce pressure on hospital beds, helping us ensure that patients are able to receive the right treatment at the right time." The incisionless surgery uses pulsed sound waves to create "bubble clouds" from gases present in the targeted form and collapse in microseconds, creating mechanical forces able to destroys tumours without surgery, scalpels or has been procured following a donation to the University of Cambridge from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, a supporter of cancer research at the Deborah Prentice, vice-chancellor of the university, said: "Through his longstanding support of cancer research at Cambridge, Sir Ka-shing Li continues to make a significant impact on outcomes for cancer patients. "Cutting-edge technology such as this histotripsy machine allows Cambridge to remain at the forefront of understanding and treating cancer, a position we aim to strengthen further with Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital."Previously, 23 patients from Europe were recruited in a histotripsy clinical trial. More than 1,500 patients worldwide have received the treatment, mainly in the United States. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
Earley MP Yuan Yang praises school's money-saving solar panels
A school will have more money to spend on education thanks to government-funded solar panels, an MP has government announced in March that it was investing £180m installing solar panels in schools and hospitals across the first 11 schools have now had them put in - including Whiteknights Primary School in Reading, which is expected to save around £4,500 a year as a result."Overall that means less money spent on energy and heating bills [and] more money to for the school to actually spend on students' education," said MP for Earley and Woodley Yuan Yang. The Labour MP visited the school on Monday, alongside climate minister Kerry McCarthy. She said she spoke to schoolchildren about climate change and how it should be tackled. "They wanted to talk about all sorts of things, from saving energy to transport," she said."It's often the children who asked the most incitive questions about climate change and the future."Climate minister Kerry McCarthy said the fact schools could save money on their bills was proof that the transition to green power could directly benefit communitiesGreat British Energy is a new publicly owned company set up by the Labour Yang said the solar panels, which would continue generating electricity throughout the weekends and school holidays to be sold back to the national grid, were "a really key investment"."All of this together is part of a diverse energy mix and the more different sources of renewable generation then the more robust - the more secure - an energy system is," she said. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Women with genetic cancer risk being ‘missed' due to testing gaps
Families of some cancer patients are being denied the chance to find out about their cancer risk due to gaps in genetic testing, a new study has suggested. A lack of testing for Lynch syndrome also means some cancer patients are unaware of their risk of developing other cancers, academics said. Lynch syndrome is a rare condition which runs in families which puts people at a higher risk of developing cancers of the bowel, womb and ovaries. It is caused by a mutation in the gene that fixes mistakes in DNA when it is copied, which can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Patients with bowel or womb cancer should have their tumours assessed for markers of Lynch syndrome, according to guidance for the NHS. If these markers are identified, patients should be referred for genetic testing so the diagnosis can be confirmed and they can get support and advice about cancer risk for themselves and their family. A new study by academics at the University of Edinburgh found not all womb cancer patients are being sent for genetic testing. Researchers examined data on 2,500 womb cancer patients across the UK and Ireland between 2022 and 2023. They found that 91% of tumours were tested for markers of Lynch syndrome, but the test results were not routinely communicated to the wider clinical team. This means that follow-up genetic counselling and blood tests were not always arranged. Of the 181 participants eligible for genetic counselling, just under two-thirds (64%) were referred for appointments, according to the study, which has been published in the journal BMJ Oncology. Researchers said those who were referred faced long waits, resulting in high dropout rates, meaning only 48% of those eligible went on to get the test. Experts from the university said gaps in testing mean some womb cancer patients with Lynch syndrome go undetected. Family members are also left vulnerable to cancer risk, unaware they may have the condition. Dr Neil Ryan, from the University of Edinburgh, who leads the UK audit and research collaborative in obstetrics and gynaecology, said: 'Despite clear guidance and excellent rates of tumour testing, too many women with Lynch syndrome are still being missed because they're not referred for definitive blood testing in a timely way. 'This not only denies them the chance to reduce their future cancer risk but also prevents their relatives from being tested and protected. 'Tumour testing is only cost-effective if it leads to diagnosis — we urgently need to make mainstream testing truly mainstream.'
