Frogs spared drain danger

Published on 08/08/2012 01:53

SPECIALLY designed kerbs are to be installed in a Perthshire town in a pilot project to prevent frogs, toads and other wildlife being washed down the drain.

The novel scheme is being introduced in one street in Blairgowrie by Perth and Kinross Council after a report disclosed 63 per cent of the drainage gullies in the council area were found to contain some form of wildlife.

The new kerbs feature a recess that allows frogs, toads and other species to follow the lower edge of the kerb and keeps them clear of the drain.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “Amphibians like frogs, toads and newts contribute to natural biodiversity. However, they, as well as a range of mammals, can become trapped, often fatally, in the drains.”

A report by Perth and Kinross countryside rangers, who have been carrying out surveys on roads since 2010, revealed that almost two-thirds of the “gullypots” examined last year contained wildlife.