A RECORD count of 230 frogs and toads at Porthkerry Country Park shows how successful the parks new ponds have been.

Members of Porthkerry Wildlife Group and the rangers visited the park on a wet drizzly evening and counted the number of frogs and toads in and around the water using strong torch light.

Mel Stewart, ranger at Porthkerry said: “Ponds are extremely important for frogs, toads and newts especially at this time of year when they are busy spawning (laying their eggs). Common toads have a strong migratory instinct and will follow the same route back to ancestral breeding ponds each spring. It’s good to see them using our new ponds.”

The wildlife group visited in the evening as the toads are most active at night when they hunt invertebrates including snails, slugs, ants and spiders. Ali Palmer a member of Porthkerry Wildlife Group said: “It was fantastic to see so many frogs and toads, the next day we could see lots of clumps of frogspawn and long strings of toadspawn in nearly all the ponds”.

Porthkerry Wildlife group meet every other Sunday morning in the Forest Lodge at Porthkerry and is open to any adult with an interest in learning about wildlife. The group are also holding a candlelit soup and quiz night on Saturday, March 29, to celebrate Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is a global movement uniting people to protect the planet. Towards the end of March every year, Earth Hour brings together communities from across the world celebrating a commitment to the planet by switching off lights for one designated hour.

This event takes place in the Forest Lodge, Porthkerry at 7.15pm and is a ticketed event. Tickets are £3 each and can be bought by contacting 01446 733589 or emailing Porthkerry@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk.