Take your foot off the gas: frogs and toads on the move

With the rising temperatures, toads, frogs and newts are once again making their way to their spawning waters in Saxony. The annual amphibian migration begins these days, according to the nature conservation association Nabu. "They follow ancient migration routes that are now cut through by roads in many places," said the environmentalists. "For the slow-moving animals, traffic becomes a deadly danger."

That is why special fences are erected along roads in many places. They keep the animals away from the road and guide them to trapping buckets, which are emptied daily by helpers. The volunteers not only bring the animals safely across the road, but also record their species and numbers.

Earth toads are becoming rare

The data from recent years gives cause for concern, according to Nabu. "Prolonged dry periods, changing water conditions and mild winters are causing populations to decline in most places in Saxony." Yet amphibians are important for the ecosystem. Not only because they regulate insect populations, but also because they are food for many other animals. Significant declines have been observed in common toads, for example.

In order to save the animals from dying on the asphalt, motorists and motorcyclists should drive particularly carefully on marked stretches of road, it said. They should also reduce their speed to under 30 kilometers per hour.