The European Green Toad has been recorded in Luxembourg for the first time, following a documented observation in Mondorf-les-Bains on 16 April.
The newcomer was discovered near the thermal baths in Mondorf-les Bains, on a paved urban plaza. Its distinctive pattern on the back, which is made out of irregular green blotches on a pale background, clearly identified it as Bufotes viridis, clearly distinguishing it from similar native species such as the Natterjack Toad.
A follow-up visit on 21 April led to the discovery of a dead toad in a nearby artificial fountain basin, approximately 30 metres from the initial sighting. Matching dorsal markings confirmed it was the same individual.
Although the species had been mentioned historically within Luxembourg borders, no confirmed records previously existed. This new finding is based on an opportunistic field observation by an agent of the Nature and Forest Agency (ANF), supported by photographic evidence and subsequent verification.
While notable, it fits with what we already know about the European Green Toad's range, as its scattered populations can be found in northeastern France and western Germany, especially along the Moselle valley near the Luxembourg border.
In this context, finding the species in Luxembourg is not especially surprising, and likely reflects natural movement from nearby populations. The individual observed was probably dispersing from the Moselle region.
This fits with the ecology of the European Green Toad which is considered a mobile, pioneering species that thrives in open and human-altered habitats and is capable of travelling moderate distances.
It is now to be seen whether the species appears only sporadically or has simply gone unnoticed until now.
