Become a "frog scavenger"

Now you can save amphibians throughout Austria!

Female common toads carry their partners on their backs for miles to the spawning waters.

(Bild: Josef Semrad)

They are migrating again! Spring is coming and soon thousands of frogs, toads, toads, newts and salamanders will be on their way to their spawning grounds. Three "early bloomers" are already on their way. The Nature Conservation Association's "Frog Collecting" scheme is looking for volunteers to help save the amphibians.

As temperatures become milder, the spring frog, followed by the grass frog and common toad, are the first to awaken from their hibernation. The three "early birds" begin to migrate to their spawning waters as early as mid-February. The greatest danger does not come from predators, but from road traffic - because they are simply overlooked when crossing roads and paths at dusk.

There are two tried and tested ways to help amphibians arrive safely: firstly, permanent amphibian tunnels that run underneath the roads and allow frogs and other amphibians to travel safely. On the other hand, there is the so-called fence-bucket method. This involves digging tubs into the ground behind fences, into which the amphibians plop as they migrate. And this is exactly where the "frog scavengers" come into play!

Amphibian protection is laborious manual work.

(Bild: Naturschutzbund/Oliver Gebhardt)

How to become a "frog scavenger"

"Frog scavengers" carry the animals that have landed in buckets safely across the road. It is important to keep this in mind:

• The buckets must be emptied daily - sometimes even several times - and in all weathers.
• A rain jacket, wellington boots and a high-visibility vest are a must.
• An overview map of where frog scavengers are currently needed in Austria can be found here

If you have a love of animals and time to spare, you can find all the information about the Frog Debris Exchange on the website of the Nature Conservation Association

Animal rescuers with added value
Animal conservation work also gives you the opportunity to get to know amphibians of all kinds up close. You can marvel at these small, adorable marvels of nature up close and, most importantly, save many frogs' lives every day, thereby making a valuable contribution to species conservation.

Schicht am Zaun

Amphibienschutzprojekt des VGT in Wien

The "Verein gegen Tierfabriken" (VGT) has also been successfully running an amphibian protection project in Vienna for many years. Volunteers are also urgently needed for this project.

Anyone who can imagine taking on a shift at the fence once a week is invited to the big training session in the 17th district. The meeting point is on March 3 at 11 a.m. directly at Hanslteich (next to Restaurant Klee), Amundsenstraße 10. Please wear a high-visibility vest, appropriate clothing for the weather and sturdy shoes. If you are unable to attend on this date, please contact coordinator Kim for an alternative training session. E-mail: [e-mail], phone: [phone].

With the loss of natural habitat, death on the roads and climate change (favoring fungal diseases, food supply, dry periods), it is essential to sustainably protect and preserve the remaining amphibian populations! As all 20 amphibian species in Austria are considered endangered, every single loss weighs heavily on the entire population.