Importance and Threats to Amphibians
Amphibians are a very important part of the ecosystem and are also very useful to humans. They feed on insect larvae and other invertebrates, making them welcome friends in the garden, as they are very fond of slugs. On the other hand, they themselves are an important food source for pike, otters, foxes, herons, storks, and other animals.
In natural conditions, amphibians can be very numerous, but unfortunately they are currently one of the most endangered groups of vertebrates. They are threatened by climate change, disease, and other consequences of human activity, such as:
- long droughts that cause the drying up of ponds and pools where they spawn,
- fungal diseases introduced by terrarium pets, which have caused a 90% decline in populations in some parts of Europe,
human interventions such as drainage of wetlands, construction, and road traffic.
The main problem around Lake Cerknica is the heavily trafficked Cerknica–Grahovo regional road. Due to the high volume of traffic, less than a third of all amphibians cross the road, leading to the extinction of the population. The situation on the ground shows that the once numerous population of Slivnica amphibians will become extinct in the next 10–15 years if we do not come to their aid.
Migration habits of amphibians and the dangerous journey across the road
Amphibians have developed the behavior of migrating from their spawning grounds to the forest over millions of years of evolution, and they are able to do so entirely without human assistance. In spring, many species leave the forest for ponds, where they lay their eggs, and then return to the forest during the year to hibernate under the leaves. In the forest, they are safer from frost and other factors than in open plains.
However, in the second half of the 20th century, humans crossed their paths by building roads for motorized traffic. As the number of cars has increased by 1000% in the last 50 years, mortality and selection pressure are very high. So high that amphibians have not been able to adapt to being run over by cars.
It is not only the wheels of vehicles that are dangerous to amphibians on the road, but also the turbulence and air pressure under vehicles traveling faster than 50 km/h. This causes their internal organs to burst and they die without visible external injuries.
How Can We Help?
- Contribute 1 minute to nature conservation. Slow down on critical sections to 50 km/h. The travel time between Cerknica and Grahovo will thus increase by only 1 minute.
- Join one of the amphibian crossing campaigns. At Lake Cerknica they are led by the Amphibian Keepers of Lake Cerknica, "Witch's Frogs"; the rescuing activities take place every spring across almost all of Slovenia (more on the map - https://www.ckff.si/icvds/akcije-prenasanja-dvozivk/)
Who are the amphibian keepers "Witch's Frogs"?
The Amphibian keepers "Witch's Frogs" are volunteers who, after their regular work obligations, walk along the road in the evenings and rescue amphibians. This year, they have been rescuing animals since February 9, for a total of 29 evenings. They have already contributed more than 350 volunteer hours this year. They have helped 6,170 amphibians cross the road. This year, with the help of Notranjski Park, they have erected almost 400 m of protective fencing, which greatly facilitates the rescue work.
Volunteers are indicated by traffic signs, media announcements, and reflective vests, so if you see them in the evenings, please slow down. Thank you!
You can follow them on their Facebook profile or on the new website; if you would like to join and help protect nature, write to dvozivke.cerknica@gmail.com.
