Chris Perkins, of Action for Wildlife Jersey, believes that more measures need to be put in place to direct people using cliff paths away from toad spawning areas at Les Landes Common after he noticed tyre tracks running through a closed footpath.
Toads tend to spawn in shallow pools or ponds between February and April. Les Landes, in St Ouen, is the most used breeding site for toads in the Island, who usually lay their eggs in specific streams on the common.
The streams have small bridges running over them to protect the toads from people.
However, due to recent rainfall, the toads have been able to lay their eggs in other waterlogged areas of the common, which have been signposted and closed off to prevent people from trampling on the eggs.
Mr Perkins said he noticed tyre tracks and horse markings in a closed area when walking at Les Landes Common last weekend.
‘It is really not too much to ask members of the public to use alternative paths when one is closed. The area is huge and there is space for everyone.
‘Les Landes is a really important place for toads, which have been in serious decline throughout the Island in recent years.’
Mr Perkins said that each flooded area in the common could contain hundreds of toad eggs.
‘Toads tend to lay their eggs in deep and boggy areas around the common and if people walk through a closed area then they could kill both the eggs and the toads themselves.’
Mr Perkins has called for more measures to be introduced to stop people from entering closed areas.
‘More signage needs to be put on the common to remind people that they could endanger toads if they walk down a certain path. If they continue to ignore the signs then I would like to see more physical barriers put in place to protect the toads.’
He added: ‘Toads are an essential part of the balance of our Island’s eco-system and it would be a great shame if we permanently lost an animal from our local wildlife chain.’
