Well.
Walking to work today, raining like hell, thought i'd cut through the woods/forest to check the river out, and something black jumps out infront of me, a frog, nope, a toad. but not a toad like im used to seeing, this thing was squat, almost jet black and about 3" long but well built.
I swear this is not the toad i am used to seeing, and aparantly there are only two toads native to the uk, the common toad and the natterjack toad, well, looking at the two, it looks like a natterjack toad. minus some of the red..i didnt get too close to it, but studied it for a minute or so, and had some definate red spots on its back and one near its head that i could see, if you put it under a light im sure there would have been more red, but was late for work but had to go. aparantly these are very rare so im a bit skeptical? i live in the north west of england if that helps?
would a common toad have red on it and be so dark?
James
edit: if it helps, the belly was white with black..

I though I has seen one a month or so ago in my back garden. I quickly looked on the web and it pretty much confirmed my thoughts.

I phoned my local council as I believe these are an endangered species and they got someone round to me as fast as they could (THEY CAME ON WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK!!!!)

Take a look at this link it has a fairly detailed description.

BBC - Science & Nature - Wildfacts - Natterjack toad

they are endangered, offered the highest level of protection in our country

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Wouldn't know by the way my local council respond.

Luckily the end of my garden is so over grown it will be safe there for centuries to come

aye thats the beastie, with the stripe and dark.
ooh nice find for me then...theres a fair few of em, nearly stood on one..
should i call anyone?

if youve seen more than one then i would contact people that deal with endangered species! who ever they are lol!

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There is probably a whole bunch at the foot of my garden and god knows what else. Think I saw a dodo once

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2 Map Turtles,
1 Baby Corn