Spring is here in all its glory, and so are the frogs. A warning was just released from Stockholm City Council that it is now that frogs, toads and salamanders are in the process of migrating, especially on warm, damp nights and that we need to watch out for them while driving.
At this time of year there are countless amphibians on the move from their winter hibernation in forests and gardens, to their summer residences in lakes, ponds and streams. They are particularly vulnerable crossing roads where they fall victim to traffic, bicycles, pedestrians and even curbs that are too high to climb.
In greater Stockholm there is plenty of water for our amphibian friends and they can easily be spotted crossing the road, especially around Spångavägen in Bromma, around the Kyrksjön (lake) and Kyrksjölöten (nature reserve), as well as around Gubbkärrsvägen near lake Judarn and on the roads around Långsjön on the border between Stockholm and Huddinge in the south. Other vulnerable areas include Järvafältet, Isbladskärret on Southern Djurgården and the forrested area of Solbergaskogen.
Want to help? You can join FrogFriends by donating either time or money. It is one of the many frog groups around the country.
And if you see a friend on the road - gently pick it up and carry it to the side, or better still, down to the water. You should be very gently with these delicate creatures, have gloves on (for their sake not yours) and/or put them in a bucket to transport them. That's just what we did with this sleepy little guy we found over Easter.
And last of all, take photos and report your observations to Stockholm's species catalogue.
