Amphibian migration

Spawning season: looking for volunteer “frog scavengers”

Roads are now becoming a deadly trap for thousands of amphibians on their way to their spawning waters.(Bild: Naturschutzbund NÖ)

Toads, frogs, amphibians and the like are making their way to their spawning grounds these weeks. However, many do not reach their destination and fall victim to road traffic. Volunteer "frog collectors" save many amphibians from death through their hard work. Additional helpers are needed!

As a driver, you know the suffering in spring: especially in the evening and when it rains, roads near bodies of water are full of frogs and toads. If at all possible, you have to do a real slalom to avoid running over the animals.

Depending on the region and species, amphibians in Styria set off between mid-February and mid-April to lay their eggs (spawn) in ponds or pools. As their habitat is cut up by roads, the already endangered amphibians suffer a sad mass extinction year after year.

Laborious manual work requires helpers
In addition to a few permanent tunnel systems that guide amphibians under roads, the so-called fence-bucket method is mainly used in Styria to protect the animals from roadkill. This involves erecting protective fences along the road that amphibians cannot get over and then dropping them into buried buckets. 

This is when the real big effort for volunteer "frog collectors" begins: they regularly take the animals out of the tubs and carry them to the other side of the road. 

"Frog leaf exchange" bundles helping hands
In Styria, the Mountain and Nature Watch, the Nature Conservation Youth and the Nature Conservation Association play a leading role as amphibian rescuers. "Our fences are all in place, now we're really getting started. After initial problems finding helpers, we are now in a good position - but we are happy about every new arrival!" says Oliver Gebhardt, head of the Styrian Nature Conservation Youth. In particular, we are still looking for "frog collectors" in those regions where no fences have (yet) been erected, but where there are still many animals on the move. Interested parties can get in touch via the specially created "frog-clearing exchange" (see info box).  

"Frog collectors" wanted

Registration and information on the "frog leaf" exchange:

[e-mail]

www.naturschutzbund.at/froschklaub-boerse.html

Monika Meder is still urgently looking for helpers for the Graz Andritz/St. Veit area: 0699/19275755

Provincial traffic department gets involved
Wolfgang Lanner from the Styrian traffic department is the driving force behind amphibian protection. "We have around 380 reported amphibian migration routes, of which around 60 to 70 are managed. The road maintenance departments put up protective fences and maintain them," explains Lanner.

Incidentally, this commitment is largely voluntary. Unless measures are prescribed for new road construction, for example as part of an EIA, there is no legal mandate to protect toads & co. "Amphibian protection measures on roads are financed from the A16 budget. We have built all the facilities voluntarily, it is not a mandatory program and there are no notices for it. But it is our internal consensus that we want to do something here. Many volunteers invest many hours of work, so it is important to us to provide materials and infrastructure," says Wolfgang Lanner. 

"Could no longer stand idly by"
One of the many volunteers is Monika Meder. The Graz native became active as a "frog collector" three years ago on her own initiative. "I'm a big animal lover and simply couldn't stand idly by any longer. And if you only save one frog, it's a good feeling." In the main season, Meder is out and about almost every evening along roads without a "frog fence". "Last year I was still alone in the St. Veit area (Graz-Andritz, note), but this year a few helpers have already announced themselves. But we can still use every helping hand!" (See info box for contact details).

Monika Meder is on her own in the St. Veit area (Graz-Andritz) and is still urgently looking for helpers.(Bild: Barbara Winkler)

All amphibians are on the red list
Zoologist Eva Bernhart from the Mountain and Nature Watch also confirms how urgently needed and important the work of the "frog collectors" is: "All amphibians native to Styria are endangered in terms of their status," says the scientist. According to the "Red List", two species are already threatened with extinction.

In addition to the ongoing loss of habitat, climate change also plays a role. Bernhart cites the Rabenhof ponds in St. Veit in southern Styria as an example: "This was the largest moor frog population in Styria. In the last three years, the population has collapsed by 98 percent. It was simply too dry in the spring." 

Oliver Gebhardt from Naturschutzjugend also knows that things are getting tighter and tighter for toads and co. in Styria: "I've been out and about as a 'frog collector' since 2006 and since then a massive decline in amphibians has been observed at all locations."