It’s about that time of year for local toads to get some lovin’-- Toads in Upper Roxborough will soon set off on their annual toad migration in search of a mate.
But each year, toads are crushed along the way—not by love, but by drivers.
It’s like real world Frogger (if you were around in the 80s you know the game):
The toads leave the woods near the Schuykill Center for Environmental Education and head for the Roxborough Reservoir, the Philadelphia Daily News reported. They have to navigate their way across roadways in order to make it to the finish line.
But, some toads aren’t so lucky.
“For the past three years [during the mating ritual], the toad population has steadily declined due to traffic fatalities,” Lisa Levinson, director and co-founder of Public Eye: Artists for Animals told the Daily News.
The Philadelphia Streets Department is taking action. They filed a permit to close Eva Street and part of Port Royal Avenue in Upper Roxborough during the ritual, according to the paper.
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Breeding season is coming soon, but the exact time is unknown. So, toad-spotters are on the prowl.
When the “mood” strikes, phone chains, text messages and e-mails will be sent to nearly 50 volunteers who will post city-approved temporary detour signs, Levinson told the newspaper.
If you are now inspired to direct toads through traffic safely, get in on the game--the 80s classic Frogger.
