Фото: npp.by
A mass migration of common toads has begun in the Prypiatski National Park. At the same time, the migration of common frogs and moor frogs continues, and the mating calls of fire-bellied toads can already be heard.
The spring migration of amphibians is a natural phenomenon, but for frogs and toads themselves it is associated with deadly risks. Waking up after wintering in the forest, they travel up to three kilometers to the nearest body of water along routes that have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. Today, these routes are crossed by asphalt roads and cars. Toads move slowly, frogs jump low, and drivers often do not notice them. Specialists estimate that as few as 60 cars per hour are enough to destroy a local population.
At the peak of migration, the density of amphibians on roads in migration corridors reaches several individuals per square meter. In the Prypiatski National Park, such corridors run between the villages of Khvojensk and Pererov, as well as through the settlements of Pererovski Mlynok and Khlupin in the Zhitkavichy District. Drivers are advised to reduce speed to 30–40 km/h in these areas and try to avoid the “small pedestrians.”
The park notes that amphibians are an important part of the forest ecosystem: a single toad can уничтожает thousands of slugs and insect pests over the summer. Specialists recommend that if you see a frog on asphalt near a forest, help it cross to the moist side of the road, and slow down when you see signs reading “Caution: Frogs.”