I don’t like toads, but they are still very important in wildlife
A few weeks ago, they could already be seen looking for their mate. And unfortunately, more and more could be seen on the roads in a flattened state.
Recently, as I was walking down a path, I almost stumbled upon a “stone” that slowly moved and climbed out of the way. From a human point of view, toads are ugly, like Jabba from StarWars, only much smaller (thankfully). They lack the grace and sweetness of the leaf frogs. I take a leaf frog in my hand, admire it, and then let it go, but the situation is different with the toad. Warts on its body release corrosive, acidic secretions that can even cause permanent blindness. But let’s not forget how many mosquitoes and larvae the toads eat!
If these animals disappeared, mosquito invasion would come with many diseases like malaria.
Toads just defend themselves, but they don’t want to hurt anyone. They cross our path, but only to find the nearest puddle or lake and lay their eggs. The female toad then carries the male on her back, which is smaller than her.
Their eggs are protected by a gelatinous "nest" until the tadpoles hatch.
Tadpoles look even more like tiny fish, but as they grow, their hind legs grow out first, later their forelegs. And their tails are gradually regressing.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of tadpoles, but I’m looking for a drawing for you of the developmental phases. Look!
(Source: http://bio-urok.blogspot.com/2016/03/36-az-allatok-fejlodese-altalanos.html)
Mature toads
Female carrying male on the road
How do we protect them? Although all amphibians are protected here in Hungary, millions of toads are flattened by cars, because the animals sometimes cross the asphalt. It is not yet typical of us, but in some placest the roads are already being built by creating "toad canals" under the roadway along the wetlands. Where there is no such, volunteers collect the toads in buckets and transfer them to the wetland.
I'm not a person! I'm human!
With lots of love from Kalemandra
