Islanders asked to count newts, toads and frogs

The toad is bigger, breeds earlier and uses a different habitat to English toads

Islanders have been asked to become citizen scientists in a bid to help Jersey's newts, frogs and toads.

Jersey Biodiversity Centre (JBC) wants people to record wildlife they see in their ponds, in particular palmate newts, agile frogs and western common toads.

Emily Wagdin, from the centre, said in the last 12 months there had been a decline in the number of western common toads in Jersey.

She added that conservationists thought habitat loss and animals being killed on roads when they crossed at night were some of the reasons behind the decline.

Ms Wagdin asked islanders to watch their ponds for 30 minutes, note what wildlife they saw and send the information to JBC via its website.

She said: "The more information we have, the more we can inform our decision-making and therefore take actions that are going to protect and conserve these species."