Amphibian spotting in April

April is here; the rivers are flowing and the lakes are full. Summer’s arid zones have transformed into muddy pools and above the chirping cicadas the screeching little owls can be hard the calls of toads and frogs. From almost every ditch, puddle and stream, the repetitive mating calls ring out.

From the Natterjack Toad the call is urgent. There are only a few weeks for the shallow puddles to last. Especially adapted to the Mediterranean climate, the Natterjack can have its offspring ready to leave the drying pools in only a few weeks, but it is a race against time.

Like all toads and frogs, the Natterjack needs water for the eggs to hatch, and for the young to metamorphose. One reason the Natterjack, now so rare in England, is so successful in the Algarve is that it can take advantage of the short wet season to reproduce and then happily live as an adult in dry, waterless areas during the summer.

The Natterjack is the most common toad in the Algarve and is easy to find. In March and April they congregate in shallow water, particularly where the surrounding area is sandy or stony, without too much undergrowth or tall grasses, and from these puddles they call our their ratchety croaks.

Once the sun goes down, go out with a torch and track them down. They are easily recognisable as they run in a quick wadding fashion, rather than hopping. Look also at the eyes which are one of the most important features in frogs and toads for recognition. The Natterjack has a yellow iris with a horizontal pupil.

Should the toad you encounter have a red eye, then it is sure to be a Southern Common Toad. The females grow to vast proportions, up to 15 cm long. The Southern Common Toad also copes well with dry summer conditions but prefers deeper water for breeding than does the Natterjack.

Although the Southern Toad can walk, it often hops when disturbed. If handled roughly, it is likely to urinate – a deterrent when picked up by dogs or foxes. The skin colouring depends much on location, the colour appearing to match that of the terrain. They can be found far from water and, like the Natterjack, are usually encountered at night.

Other toads that you might find in the Algarve, although they are not easy to discover, are the Midwife Toad and the Western Spadefoot.

The Midwife Toad is a little, five cm toad with a vertical pupil which inhabits woodlands and stony areas. It is elusive, only out at night in order to hunt. The males might be found in the early summer with strings of eggs attached to the lower back.

The Western Spadefoot, again with a vertical pupil, comes equipped with a black ‘spade’ on each hindfoot which it uses for burrowing. They inhabit sandy areas with shallow winter water.

Competing with the toads in the evening chorus line are the generally noisier frogs. They are not so well adapted to dry areas and tend to stay nearby permanent ponds or lakes. They often call from the water and are hence more difficult to catch than toads. Colour variation makes identification quite difficult without a good reference book, but again the colour and shape of the eyes is of paramount importance.

The last of the Algarvean frogs are the Common and Stripeless Tree Frogs with their remarkable adhesive fingers and toes. Mainly nocturnal, the Tree Frogs like areas which are overgrown and bushy. They can leap from leaf to leaf and from tree to tree with incredible agility. The best areas to find Tree Frogs are areas of thick woodland by lakes or pond. As they jump so quickly, they can be difficult to locate by torch at night.

Apart from frogs and toads, the other amphibian family is the salamanders, a family which includes Newts. The two Algarvean newts are Bosca’s Newt and the beautiful Marbled Newt. The male Marbled Newt develops a crest along its body in the breeding season and both male and female can be found out of water, particularly near ditches.

Of the true Salamanders, there are two: the yellow-backed Fire Salamander and the Sharp-ribbed Salamander. The Fire Salamander can be found in wooded, mountainous areas and does not much like the hotter, dry plains of coastal Algarve. In areas such as Monchique, it may be found at night, not far from water, in damp conditions, where it moves slowly through the leaf litter. Its colouring of bright yellow and black is a warning to predators that it can produce a noxious secretion from its skin. It is safe to be handled, but wash your hands afterwards.

The more common Sharp-ribbed Salamander can be found all along the Algarve where there is water although it copes well even if the water dries up. It is a strong swimmer but prefers still water to streams or rivers. It is often unearthed when clearing out overgrown ditches.

By David Rees

• < Prev