<p class="title">A small group of British conservationists are installing mesh- covered ladders in roadside drains to save trapped amphibians from certain death.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Warwickshire Amphibian and Reptile Team -- the memorably acronymed WART -- hopes that by placing 20 of the rust-resistant aluminium ladders down drains near known breeding pools in England's West Midlands, they can boost the dwindling amphibian population.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The amphibians are coming to breed and then hitting the road, getting across the roads, hitting the curb, along the curb and into the drains. And then that's it - end of story for them, game over," said Tim Jenkins, a ladder fitter at WART.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"By installing the amphibian ladders, it enables them to get back out of the drains and back to their breeding pools and doing what they should do and making more amphibians."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The issue of trapped toads is not limited to Britain. A 2012 study in the Netherlands estimated that more than half a million small vertebrates like frogs, toads and newts end up trapped in gully pots and drains each year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It is one of the factors, along with habitat loss, that is blamed for common toad numbers declining by 68 percent in the UK over the past 30 years, according to a 2016 report by the conservation group Froglife.</p>.<p class="bodytext">WART says it's seen a drop in the number of amphibian prisoners since the ladders were installed, but there is a limit to how much they can do.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Each of the ladders designed by the British Herpetological Society costs 15 pounds ($20), a large price for a local conservation group. The group hopes their endeavours can inspire other conservation groups in the UK to help the oft-maligned critters.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They're an overlooked species and they have their role in the ecosystem. They're absolutely excellent for gardens because they eat lots of invertebrates - potential pests in your garden," Jenkins said.</p>
<p class="title">A small group of British conservationists are installing mesh- covered ladders in roadside drains to save trapped amphibians from certain death.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Warwickshire Amphibian and Reptile Team -- the memorably acronymed WART -- hopes that by placing 20 of the rust-resistant aluminium ladders down drains near known breeding pools in England's West Midlands, they can boost the dwindling amphibian population.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The amphibians are coming to breed and then hitting the road, getting across the roads, hitting the curb, along the curb and into the drains. And then that's it - end of story for them, game over," said Tim Jenkins, a ladder fitter at WART.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"By installing the amphibian ladders, it enables them to get back out of the drains and back to their breeding pools and doing what they should do and making more amphibians."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The issue of trapped toads is not limited to Britain. A 2012 study in the Netherlands estimated that more than half a million small vertebrates like frogs, toads and newts end up trapped in gully pots and drains each year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It is one of the factors, along with habitat loss, that is blamed for common toad numbers declining by 68 percent in the UK over the past 30 years, according to a 2016 report by the conservation group Froglife.</p>.<p class="bodytext">WART says it's seen a drop in the number of amphibian prisoners since the ladders were installed, but there is a limit to how much they can do.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Each of the ladders designed by the British Herpetological Society costs 15 pounds ($20), a large price for a local conservation group. The group hopes their endeavours can inspire other conservation groups in the UK to help the oft-maligned critters.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They're an overlooked species and they have their role in the ecosystem. They're absolutely excellent for gardens because they eat lots of invertebrates - potential pests in your garden," Jenkins said.</p>