Every year, between February and April, some amphibians move from their wintering site to their breeding site in wetlands. A journey that involves many dangers that many of them will not resist.
Cycle of amphibians
Amphibians, unlike mammals, do not have the possibility to regulate their internal temperature themselves, which always depends on the surrounding environment. Their energetic needs being less, they allow periods of fasting and therefore hibernation as soon as the temperatures become too cold to live actively. In autumn, amphibians migrate towards their wintering site, most of the time towards terrestrial sites in wooded areas. They then bury themselves under leaves or settle in crevices of tree trunks or rocks. In the spring, they slowly wake up and take the path in the other direction towards a wetland suitable for reproduction.
A perilous migration
Toads, salamanders or newts leave their wintering grounds at the first warm nights of spring to reach the pond or lake where they can reproduce.
Unfortunately, for many of them, this will be their last trip. In the past, they were only subject to their natural predators (birds, snakes, small mammals...), but now they are victims of the worst of them: Man.
Their journey is nowadays more and more full of pitfalls of all kinds: roads to cross, garden fences... Coming out of their sleep, their movement is also slower. Few humans have scruples to run over these little creatures when they are driving their vehicles! However, some of these amphibians are protected and endangered. If you pass them on the road, avoid them and help them to reach the other side of the road to allow them to procreate.
Devices are sometimes set up along the roadside in some regions to capture them in order to move them to the other side of the road to give them a chance to reproduce. Associations are also set up, creating events bringing together their members who come to cross the amphibians during the migrations, whether they are spring or autumn. Finally, there are 'crapoducs' on certain roads. These specific arrangements in the form of tunnels permanently installed under the road allow amphibians to cross without being crushed.
Let's not forget that amphibians, like toads, are also friends of the gardener and help limit the proliferation of certain biting insects like mosquitoes. If you come across them on the road, avoid them and help them get to the other side of the road so they can procreate.
