AMPHIBIANS

  

 Frogs
 Newts
 Toads
 Tree frog
 Fire-bellied
 toad
 Spadefoot
 Role
 and protection
 WNP home

  

Text:
Anna i Lech
Krzysztofiak

Photos:
Lech Krzysztofiak

Drawings:
Anna Krzysztofiak

Webdesign: 
KAJA
 
2003

  

  

  

Toads

  

Parotids of toads:  common toad (left),
green toad and natterjack (right)

TOADS Bufo are amphibians with a stocky body, relatively short limbs and with skin rich in glands. The largest of these include the so-called parotid glands (parotids). There are however, no significant differences in pigmentation between males and females even during the mating season. At that time, mating calluses appear in the bodies of males (these are black pachynses on the first three toes of the front limbs), which are used to hold the females, as well as resonators (except for the common toad), which amplify the power of the sound.

     

A couple of common toads in the amplexus

  

Couples join in the so-called amplexus, whereas in the case of toads, it is the male who embraces the female "under her brachiums". While such a couple - joined together this way - walks slowly on the bottom of the water reservoir, the female spawns long cords of frog-spawn, which is then fertilized by the male.

  

  

  

  

Nourishment of toads

Natural foes of toads

  

  

Tadpoles of toads feed mainly on plant nourishment while mature toads hunt for earth - worms, myriapodans, insects (including potato beetles and bees in this group), spiders, snails and small vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, nestlings of birds and mice).

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Due to numerous venom glands, mature toads have very few natural foes. These include the following species: grass snakes, badgers, martens and some owls. Young toads become the victims of predators much more often than the mature toads.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

In Poland, there are three species of toads: a common toad Bufo bufo, a natterjack Bufo calamita and a green toad Bufo viridis.

  

A grass snake attacking a common toad

  

  

Common toad , which is also called an ordinary toad, is present in Europe, Asia and the northern Africa. In Poland it is an ordinary species. During the mating season, it stays most willingly in larger and deeper ponds, while during the period of land life it can be seen both in forests, orchards and meadows, in gardens and in the vicinity of human seats. It is quite numerous in the area of the Wigry National Park and it lives in various habitats.

  

  

  

  

A couple of common toads (Bufo bufo)

  

  

Common toad is the largest amphibian of Poland, except for marsh frog. Males reach the length of 9 centimetres while females can reach even up to 15 centimetres of length. Young persons are active during the whole day and night while mature toads are mainly active during the night. During the mating season, after arriving to the water reservoir (the end of March - the beginning of April) - males call females by uttering sounds which are similar to dull, moaning and interrupted clattering. By then, they are exceptionally active and attack every amphibian, which comes into their eyesight, trying to enter the amplexus with them. At one time, a female usually spawns several thousands eggs which are shaped into cords in two or four rows, each one with the length ranging from 2,5 to 6 meters.

  

  

After the mating is over, toads leave the water reservoir and lead the land life until the next mating season. Common toad exhibits high attachment to the place, which was selected for a hiding-place and it comes back to it even after very long excursions. This is also the place where toads hibernate from November to March. It is a long-lived animal and can live as long as 30 years.

  

Natterjack (Bufo calamita)

Natterjack, which is also called a lively toad (due to its way of moving around the place) is found mainly in the central and Western Europe as well as in the countries located at the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. It mainly inhabits lowland areas in Poland. Generally, it is not an ordinary species of amphibian, however, it can locally create quite numerous populations. It prefers areas with lighter soils, rather avoids hard and stony grounds. It can be seen on meadows, cultivable fields, dunes and gravel mines, at the edges of forests and in orchards. It is susceptible neither to water contamination nor to its salinity, and that is why it can also be seen at the sea.

  

  

It is met quite seldom in the area of the Wigry National Park, its reproduction takes place only in a few water reservoirs. These are usually small floodwaters on waterlogged meadows or land melioration ditches. Natterjack is the smallest of all our species of toads - males reach the length ranging from 6 to 7 centimetres while females can reach even up to 8 centimetres of length. It is a stenothermal species and it also likes rain much, it is mainly active during the night and dusk and is characterised by the land way of life apart from the mating season. During the day, it stays in its shelters, buries itself underground or hides under stones or clusters of grass. It leaves its shelters at dusk and then it starts feeding. During the mating season, males call their partners by uttering loud, clattering sounds. Creating couples and spawning eggs takes place mainly during the night. A female spawns frogspawn in the form of two-meters' long cords, in which all-black eggs are placed in one or two rows. Natterjack hibernates on land in burrows, which it digs itself, or in other shelters. It can dig itself as deep as three meters underground.

  

Green toad (Bufo viridis)

Green toad is mainly found in the central, southern and Eastern Europe, Asia and the northern Africa. It is an ordinary species in Poland, both in the area of lowlands and in the mountains, but unlike the common toad, it does not occur in large quantities in any habitats. It mainly lives in dry areas, on slopes of hills, in gardens and parks, it is often observed in the vicinity of human seats however it avoids afforested areas. It is observed very seldom in the area of the Wigry National Park. Green toad is smaller and much more delicate than the common toad; its females reach the length of 10,5 centimetres while males reach the length of only 8,5 centimetres.

  

  

  

 

The green toad is mainly active during the night. It wakes up from hibernation pretty late, because it a remarkably stenothermal species. The mating season takes place in May or in June, only under conditions when the temperature does not drop below 10oC. Males are first to arrive at the mating area and immediately after their arrival they start calling females by uttering loud, rippling, high-note sounds. Females spawn frog - spawn in the form of two four-meters' long cords, in which intensively black eggs are placed in one or two regular rows.

  

Young toads travel long distances in search of land shelters. Green toads start their hibernation period at the end of September or at the beginning of October and they hibernate in burrows, which they build themselves, under stones or in human buildings.

  

The basic form of protection of toads is connected with protection of areas of their reproduction as well as securing sections of motorways, which are most often crossed by these amphibians during the seasonal migrations.

  

All toads in Poland are subject to strict protection.

   

   

 

  

next