looduskalender.ee

Common brown frog (Rana temporaria)

 For the third year already ELF and its partners arrange an action to help frogs across roads, „Konnad teel(t) – Frogs off roads” We are looking for people who are willing to help the frogs across the roads this spring.

 

Frogs and other amphibians hibernate in water bodies or burrowed into the ground. When spring arrives, the frogs wake up and have an irresistible urge to get to water bodies, where they are used to reproduce. So they have migrated already long before humans built the roads.

 

To save as many amphibians as possible from car wheels migration paths should be taken in account when planning for roads. But before this is done we can help the frogs by helping them safely across the road during the most frantic migration period.

Typically frogs start to move at the end of April but all depends on the weather: night and day temperature above zero and a slight rain are needed. On average the frogs move, beginning at sunset, during two to four hours per day.

 

How to help the frogs

·         Find the places near your home where the springtime migration paths of frogs cross motor roads. Perhaps you have already noticed such places in earlier years? If not, see the map with amphibian migration information.

·         Observe in the evenings when the sun has set and when the weather is warm and humid if frogs already are on the move. Nobody can predict precisely when migration starts, so it is necessary to be alert and quick.

·         If you see that the frogs have started to cross the roads call your friends, neighbours, family members to help.

·         Pick up the frogs from the side of the road where they come from, into clean buckets. Be sure to wear gloves because the skin of frogs is very sensitive.

·         Bring the frogs in the buckets to the side of the road where they want to go, as close as possible to the water body that is their destination.

·         The action becomes more effective with a frog guard made of net at the roadside. It can be requested from Elf, or you can make one yourself.

·         Pay attention to traffic safety!

 

Frogs off roads action 2014

All active nature lovers  are invited to arrange frog actions in their own home area. To do this:

·         List yourself on ELF’s website.

·         You will be contacted. The action ”start bucket” will be sent to you. It contains info material about frogs, 5 reflecting vests, memos for volunteers, headlamps with batteries for working in the dark, 5 pairs of gloves, 2 posters to inform about the action.

·         You will get more detailed information about how to handle frogs and organizational issues that should be kept in mind. Take part in our traning day if possible.

·         Find volunteers among your friends and acquaintances. They need not be many, even a couple of people will do. If there are too few volunteers let us know  and we will help to search for them.

·         Observe when the frogs start to move. When it happens: quickly call your volunteers and help the frogs to cross the road.

·         Let us know how many frogs you saved. We in turn will let you know when the thank-you event will take place.

If you haven’t the drive to organize an action yourself, then  become a frog volunteer. During the frog migration you will be called in to help bring the frogs across roads. 

 

Training days

We welcome all frog action organizers and other interested parties to the training days that will take place on:

         March 8th in Tallinn (starting at 10.00 o’clock, at Tallinn Lai 29A, Estonian Museum of Natural History)

·         March 15th in Tartu (starting at 10.00 o’clock, Tartu Lille 10, Tartu  Nature  House).

 

The info day lasts 4 hours, 2 of which are dedicated to the biology and species conservation of frogs, 1 h to safety on roads and 1 h to the practical part of carrying out the action.

 

Registration information will soon be on the Frogs off roads - Konnad teel(t) web site:

http://www.elfond.ee/konnadteel