Toad Tunnel

Entrance to a Toad Tunnel

Toad Tunnels are special corridors constructed under roads and other passages that vehicles often use. Several of them can be found throughout the Great Forest.

Description

Although their architecture can vary from one other, all Toad Tunnels serve the same purpose: to allow toads and other small animals to cross roads without risking being hit by a motorized vehicle. While some are dug directly into the ground, others may rely on man-made structures, such as pipes. Usually, a Toad Tunnel will have its own Tunnel Toad, whose duty is to safely guide visitors through the underpass.

According to the Tunnel Toad in "The Giver of Names", the Ancients built the Toad Tunnels long ago.

Location

Usually, Toad Tunnels are situated wherever there's a road running through the forest. These roads may vary from dirt tracks to asphalt lanes. However, some trails may not be equipped with a tunnel, leaving animals vulnerable to passing vehicles.

So far, there has been no practical way of finding Toad Tunnels. The best plan is to follow one side of the road until one is encountered.

Trivia

• Among all the Toad Tunnels seen in the show, Daphne is the only one that has its entrance pointing upwards.
• Inexperienced toadlets can sometimes mistake a storm drain for a Toad Tunnel.
• In the second season, Erebus hibernates in an empty Toad Tunnel for the winter.

Davis Toad Tunnel

Back in 1995, the town of Davis (California) in the United States constructed a wildlife crossing under the Pole Line Road overpass to allow safe passage to amphibians and other animals. The crossing has since been called the Toad Tunnel because of all the toads using the pipe during their migration. Other tunnels similar to the one in Davis are present in many other countries around the world where the toad population has high risks of road kill.