July 3, 2024, 4:13 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
The days are getting longer again, the temperatures are getting milder, and toad migrations are about to begin. Some amphibians are now making their way back to their spawning waters in many places. The common toads are making their start.
Car, truck, and motorcycle drivers beware. Due to the warmer weather, the first toads may already be on the roads on warm days in February. The common toad (Bufo bufo), the largest native toad species, is already starting to migrate more frequently. Glass frogs and tree frogs also set off as soon as temperatures regularly stop falling below 41 degrees Fahrenheit at night and the weather is damp. According to the German Wildlife Foundation, the males set off first on the great toad migration — all at once.
Toad migrations sometimes start suddenly
“It can happen that you suddenly see hundreds of toads in early spring, but not a single one for the rest of the year,” said biologist Sophia Lansing from the German Wildlife Foundation in a statement. The common toad is one of the first amphibians to leave its winter quarters at the end of February and head for its spawning waters. The females follow the males a little later.
As there are around three times as many male toads as female toads, the male has to be quick. He instinctively jumps at anything that moves in the foliage and remotely resembles a female toad. His muscular legs help him hold on to everything. Once the male has spotted a female, it hops onto their back and embraces them. It then lets itself be carried piggyback to the spawning waters.
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Toads usually stay on the road
As the path to the waters is often crossed by busy roads, the foundation advises people to be even more careful on the road in the coming days. Particular attention should be paid to toads and frogs on the road. “Instead of jumping away from approaching cars, they usually remain seated or assume a threatening position and puff themselves up. This behavior helps against predators such as snakes, but not against a car,” says biologist Lansing. The pressure wave created by an approaching vehicle alone can destroy the toad’s organs and be fatal.
Although common toads are not considered endangered, they can fall victim to road traffic in the spring. Conservationists use toad tunnels, amphibian fences, and collection campaigns to try to protect the animals from road fatalities during the toad migration.
The amphibian and toad migration usually begins in February and lasts up to three months. The majority of the animals migrate in mid-March. Below is an overview indicating when various animals are likely to be on the move.
- Glass frogs and jumping frogs can occasionally be seen from the end of December and appear more frequently from February onwards
- Common toads begin their migration in early February at the latest, when the ground is 5 degrees (41 Fahrenheit) or warmer for several days
- Pond newts and alpine newts also start their migration at the beginning of February
- Fire salamanders usually migrate to their spawning grounds from March on and return in November
- This is followed by the moor frog, grass frogs, and various amphibians until the end of March.
This article includes material from dpa.