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Causes of froglet/toadlet
loss:
-
Drowning
:
Once
they have absorbed their tails and are ready to leave the pond, froglets
are effectively air-breathers and hence want to escape from the pond as
quickly as possible. Many froglets have difficulty emerging from ponds,
especially if the sides are steep. As a result a large number can drown
whilst trying to emerge. It is therefore a good idea to make sure at
least one side of your pond has a shallow exit. You could do this by
adding an object into the pond to act as a ramp. This could be rocks or
bricks, plant substrate or rafts of bark.
-
Drying
out (Desiccation):
when
a froglet emerges from the pond it immediately needs cover from
vegetation to stop it from drying out. If your pond is in the middle of
a short cut lawn or patio then the chances are, if the froglets emerge
on a warm summer’s day, they will quickly dry out and die. It is a
good idea to plant vegetation at the shallow end of the pond so they
have something to hide in until it cools down enough for them to
disperse fully into the surrounding landscape. Allow vegetation
immediately around the pond to grow a little longer, at least during May
and June, and leave some rocks or logs here to act as damp refuges.
-
Predators
:
when froglets emerge from the pond they are
particularly vulnerable to predators. Often ‘mass emergence’ of
froglets can lead to a frenzy of predators putting in an appearance.
There are usually a number of common garden bird species involved and
often hedgehogs, badgers and foxes can get in on the act.
Once froglets disperse they will leave your pond and stay on land
(possibly some distance away) for 2–3 years before returning as
adults. So, one day your garden can be teeming with froglets and the
next it can appear to be empty.
IMPORTANT: if
you are noticing large numbers of dead froglets or toadlets dying on
emergence from the pond without any of the symptoms described above please click
here.
Click
here
to go back to
the 'Amphibian Health and Disease' home page
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