Written by Charles Bonnett, Transforming Lives Trainee
It’s February and we’re settling into the New Year. For our animals, February can represent a period of transition, as the first signs of spring start to stir them from their dormancy.
For some amphibians, February marks the beginning of their habitual migration to their breeding ponds. Male common frogs typically arrive first, ready to attract females. In warmer, southernly regions of the country, mating may have already occurred by late February and frogspawn may be present. Likewise, during warm, wet evenings, common toads will begin their migration to their ancestral breeding ponds; these epic journeys can sometimes span kilometres. Some of our three native newt species, smooth, palmate, and great crested newts, will similarly begin to rouse from their dormancy, though will likely remain more inconspicuous than their frog and toad counterparts.
In comparison to amphibians, our reptiles are more temperature-sensitive, and so will mostly maintain their dormant state throughout the cold February days in order conserve their energy. Though, this does not mean that reptiles will be completely inactive during this period; a warm spell may stir adders and common lizards from their inactivity, after which they may be seen basking on south-facing slopes to regulate their body temperature in preparation for spring.
Generally, there is a degree of variation in when a member of a species may exit brumation, in part influenced by regional variation in weather, where earlier activity may be observed in more southerly regions. A further notable impact on this transition is our ever-changing climate. Our winters are becoming milder and less predictable, leading to our amphibians and reptiles exiting their dormant state prematurely. This early emergence can be dangerous, as it can leave the animals exposed to unpredictable weather, such as cold snaps. Likewise, it can cause the expenditure of energy during colder periods which may be difficult to recoup as sources of food will be rarer.
Overall, then, February can be a transitionary period from dormancy to activity for our amphibians and reptiles, and will likely continue to be with greater frequency due to our changing climate.
Remember to report any sightings of our species (including eggs and young) on our free Dragon Finder app.
reptiles and amphibians. They were presumed extinct in 1995 but have since been reintroduced in East Anglia from pool frog populations in Sweden. Similarly to common frogs, male pool frogs are around 6cm in length, with the larger female reaching up to 9cm. They are generally brown or green in colour, with a cream or yellow dorsal stripe, and have a pair of ridges along their back. A distinct feature of the pool frog is their vocal sacs found on the sides of a male’s mouth, which can produce a loud call during breeding season.
Usually when you ask someone what their favourite animal is, the answer is typically either some kind of mammal or reptile. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that as there are many amazing species all over the world. The popularity of these kinds of animals could possibly be due to ideologies pushed towards the public eye, influencing their views on certain animals for better or for worse. This means that amphibians are often overlooked except for frogs and axolotls whose popularity with the younger generation have risen greatly over the last few years. So, I would like to express what makes amphibians so wonderful. Why should they be given more love and recognition?
There has been a 50% decline in pond habitats in the UK over the past century, with 80% of those remaining being classified as either in ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ condition. We can all do our bit to tackle this problem.