Volunteers sought to help Tayside’s amphibians thrive

A major new effort is under way to protect amphibians and improve their habitats across Perthshire.

The Tayside Ponds Project will enhance several wildlife hotspots to ensure they provide better habitats for all manner of species.

The works will be carried out by the Tayside Amphibian and Reptile Group (TayARG), which has received funding from the Angus Environment Trust.

It now hopes to attract a small army of conservationminded volunteers to help it carry out the project.

Amphibians need open water in which to breed and many of the ponds are gradually becoming overgrown with plants, meaning the habitat is less suitable for lots of waterloving wildlife.

Around a million ponds have been lost in the last century, making every single one that remains hugely valuable to animals and plants.

Project officer Daniele Muir said: “Frogs especially like to spawn in open water so the project will involve clearing overgrown vegetation and creating pockets of open water.

“This will benefit different species of wildlife, including frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies and damselflies.”

The project also hopes to address one of the major hazards to amphibians in the area – roadside gullypots – with ladders being installed in roadside drains so that animals that fall in can climb out again.

The first volunteer day of the project takes place in Blairgowrie on Saturday at the pond on Elm Drive.

Anyone interested in helping is welcome to join TayARG and come along on the day or email Daniele at taysideamphibians@yahoo.co.uk for further details.