The yellow-bellied toad can only be found in three locations in Luxembourg. In order to boost their population and prevent their extinction, inter-municipal association SICONA in Olm has started to count the rare amphibian species.
During spring, ten adult yellow-bellied toads were brought in from Germany. Their spawn are collected and the eggs develop into toads in monitored water tanks. After about two months, the little tadpoles are released into suitable locations. The time of their release depends on their development, the weather and the water levels.
"The weather also has a major influence on their development. The period from when the egg is laid until they hatch can vary between two and ten days. And it can take 37 to 67 days before they get their hind legs", explains Liza Glesener, biologist and scientific employee at SICONA.
One of the problems for the yellow-bellied toad is its habitat. It needs shallow, temporary bodies of water. These can quickly dry out completely during dry periods, especially in the months when the tadpoles are developing.
SICONA is therefore creating new bodies of water and adapting them to the needs of the species. In addition to dug holes, special toad ponds are also created in which the water is kept for a longer period. If necessary, the amount of water is increased.
The breeding and release of endangered species has been part of SICONA's work for more than ten years. This method has already yielded results in the case of the European tree frog: the species has now spread from a single location to more than 100 bodies of water.
The chances of the yellow-bellied toad's successful re-population are more difficult to estimate. In a previous attempt to reintroduce the species, around 1,000 animals were released, of which around 100 survived. Drought, predators and the conditions at each site play an important role.
Over the next five years, SICONA wants to reintroduce yellow-bellied toads to one or two additional sites each year. This is intended to sustainably strengthen the population of this rare amphibian species in Luxembourg.
