What is the Ryder Lake Toad Migration?

Every summer the Ryder Lake community hosts a mass exodus of tiny toadlets. The Fraser Valley Conservancy has been fortunate enough to play a role in helping to protect the thousands of migrating juvenile Western Toads in partnership with the Ryder Lake nature team and community volunteers.

 

Looking for updates on the toad migration? Click here. 

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Why Does the Migration Happen?

Every spring, adult toads emerge from the forest and make their way towards the wetland between Ryder Lake and Elk View roads. Their journey takes them to this body of water to reproduce and lay their eggs. Once the eggs have hatched and the adults departed, the young toads will spend the first few weeks of their lives growing and developing in the water. This period ends once the toadlets have emerged from the pond with all four limbs and no tail. From there the massive movement of toadlets begins as they head from their nursery towards the forests where they will spend their adult lives. This route takes them across the roads which separate the wetland from other habitat and creates the yearly event we have come to know.

 

Western Toads are a species featured on our native amphibians page, so if you want to know more check it out here.

What do These Toads Need?

Because this species, like many amphibians, requires different habitat during various life stages, it can be hard to protect them. However there are several general requirements for them to thrive.

Breeding Wetlands

Toads need a place to breed, often using shallow, weedy ponds with clean water and few predators. In Ryder Lake that place is Hornby Wetland.

Movement Corridors

The toads need a way to get to and from the wetland as they migrate there during different times of the year, both as adults and juveniles.

Intact Habitat

Though these toads can use a variety of habitats as adults, they all need to have access to relatively natural areas after leaving their breeding ponds.

Overwintering Cover

These amphibians need places to shelter, especially in winter. A landscape with woody debris, native plants and other cover is what they require while its cold.

Timing and Important Windows

There are several important seasonal windows for western toads at Ryder Lake. Though the exact timing shifts from year to year, there is a pattern to their movements centered around when they are entering or exiting the wetlands.  

 

If you see amphibians on the road, it is recommended to leave them to cross on their own. If you need to move amphibians, make sure to do so with clean, moist hands.

Late February - March

Adult toads head towards the wetland to breed

July-August

Juvenile toads leave the wetland and move towards the forest

Late September-Early November

Adult toads leave the wetlands and return to their overwintering habitat

Long Term Efforts

The history of the conservancy in Ryder Lake has been linked closely to the Western Toads and their migration. The first efforts relating to the migration were back in 2008 with a toad rescue event. Since then, we have tried many iterations of toad protection, some more effective than others. In 2015, the Fraser Valley Conservancy, along with local partners, installed a toad tunnel that runs beneath elk view road. This was a massive shift in the way that the toad migration was managed, and an overall win for the toadlets, who now had a way to get under the road safely. Combined with fencing and some strategically placed cameras, we now know that hundreds of thousands of toads have used the tunnel since its installation.

Volunteering

The FVC relies on its volunteers to help with toad fencing installation and take down every year. Volunteers have also been essential in the past for toad migration monitoring, amphibian surveys and community events. Volunteers go through our Ryder Lake Nature Team program which is made up of Ryder Lake residents.

 

If you live in Ryder lake or Chilliwack and are interested in learning more about wildlife and nature stewardship and volunteering in this community, join the nature team. If you want to learn more about volunteering opportunities in general head to our volunteering page.

The Toad Detour

During the Summer migration, we install signage to guide vehicles around the primary toad migration route. If you are in the area, please follow the directions to avoid the major toad areas.  Because the toadlets do not always migrate in the direction of the fencing and crossing structures, this detour is often the only thing keeping vehicles away from them as they hop across the roads. The tiny toads are nearly impossible to spot from a moving vehicle due to their small size and dark coloration, meaning they are very vulnerable to traffic.

 

To see more information relating to the summer migration, click here.

Program Partners

The Ryder Lake Amphibian Protection Program is made possible by the generous support from these partner organizations. Thank you.

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