Exactly 2,221 frogs, toads and newts have been brought safely to their spawning grounds by activists of the Susy Utzinger Animal Welfare Foundation in the past days and nights.
Frogs, toads and newts who have hibernated on land are now emerging from the torpor and making their way to their spawning grounds by the thousands. Especially on rainy nights, drivers must be prepared for four-legged passers-by on the road near the water. Every springtime, countless amphibians migrate to their spawning grounds: With high humidity and temperatures above 5 degrees, toads and frogs migrate all night long towards their spawning waters. From about 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. every year, around 5 million amphibians start their honeymoon. On these spring migrations, the animals travel between several hundred meters up to several kilometers. However, many hundreds of thousands of them have to pay for their great journey with their lives: The animals, which are usually on the streets in masses, are equally overrun and killed in masses by cars. Every year, late in the evening and early in the morning, many helpers of the Susy Utzinger Animal Welfare Foundation collect grass frogs, toads and newts from amphibian fences and bring them to their spawning grounds. Despite safety measures, many amphibians enter the roads every year and are dependent on the behaviour of every single car driver.
At the time of amphibian migrations, each and every one of us can be considerate and and save countless lives without much effort:
1. Watch out for signs: In the evening hours and at night, try to avoid driving on roads marked with the famous frog warning triangle.
2. Drive slowly: Even if the animals are not caught directly by the wheels, they will still generally suffer fatal injuries at a speed of over 40 km/h due to the negative pressure. If no bypass is possible, pass the concerned road at a greatly reduced speed.
3. Get active: Get in touch with the responsible municipality if you have observed a migration route that is not yet protected from traffic, and have seen numerous animals that have been run over! Report your observations and ask whether measures are already planned.
4. Become a frog taxi: Every year hundreds of thousands of amphibians are safely carried across the streets of Switzerland by animal lovers, students and other hard-working helpers.
Volunteers wanted
Every year, more than 160,000 amphibians are carried safely across the road to spawning grounds by volunteers at around 200 locations in Switzerland. Helping hands are still needed for various amphibian crossings. The volunteers carry the animals in buckets across the road. The patrolling usually takes place at dawn and sometimes also in the evening after dusk. Depending on the weather conditions in spring, these amphibian crossings are looked after for several weeks.
Would you like to join in and help? Click here for more information: https://lepus.unine.ch/zsdb/benevoles.php?lang=de