On a rescue mission

Frogs and toads need help to survive

Amphibians need our support to avoid being run over on the roads.

(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

Every year in Carinthia, courageous animal lovers set out to protect the useful amphibians on their migrations to their spawning grounds, as great danger lurks on the roads in particular. This year, the "Krone" was also involved in an animal rescue operation. 

On the way to Bad Eisenkappel, where we are on duty today as "amphibian rescuers", the green-bordered signs at the side of the road catch the eye, drawing attention to the fact that it is frog and toad migration season again. "Due to the warm temperatures in February, the animals came out of their winter hiding places weeks earlier than usual this year," explains Karina Smole-Wiener from Arge Naturschutz.

This is also confirmed by the courageous animal rights activist Paula Micheuz, who has been volunteering as a frog collector for 20 years and takes us with her on her tour of the castle park pond in Bad Eisenkappel: "However, it can be a problem for the animals when they wake up so early. Then there are often no or too few food sources for them, such as insects, snails or worms, which they need after spawning."

We walk along the banks of the Vellach, where small fences have been erected. Behind them, a bucket is dug into the ground every 20 meters, into which the frogs and toads hop - which is why this protection method is simply called the fence-bucket method.

"They migrate at night. That's why we check the buckets every morning," says Micheuz, presenting a bucket with several grass frogs and common toads that make soft chirping noises.

Thousands of animals already rescued
"There are days when we collect 400 on this route alone," says the nature and landscape guide, who documents every animal and has already rescued an impressive 41,433 amphibians during her many years of work.

Worth knowing

• The Arge Naturschutz has currently recorded 198 migratory routes of frogs and toads in Carinthia.
• On average, amphibians take four to six weeks to migrate.
• A single female lays between 700 and 4000 eggs during spawning.
• For 41 years, protective measures have been taken for the animals along several Carinthian roads.

After all the little animals have been taken out of the protective devices, we make our way to the castle park pond, where they are carefully set down on the bank to hop into the water and spawn - usually with a male already on their back. "Frogs make so-called balls with their eggs, while toads lay them in the form of strings," explains Micheuz. 

"Roads are a huge danger for frogs and toads. Through our work, we are helping to ensure the survival of these useful animals, as many other animals would disappear along with them," says the amphibian conservationists. 

+1

Fotos

Exciting evening excursions for those interested
On March 20 (from 7.30 p.m.), the event "Amphibian protection on roads" will take place in Keutschach, where the "Save the frogs" campaign will be presented and the hiking route walked. One day later, on March 21 (from 7.30 pm), the evening excursion will be held in St. Georgen am Längsee. 

Would you also like to help? More information at www.arge-naturschutz.at or www.amphibienschutz.at