As the cold snap continues, Froglife -a UK wildlife charity for amphibians and reptiles- is encouraging pond-owners to consider ensuring garden ponds don’t stay iced over for too long.
Common Frogs Rana temporaria often lie dormant on the bottom of garden ponds during winter, but when ponds ice over for a sustained period they can suffocate on the noxious gases that build up in the water. In some winters, many frogs can die from this phenomenon, often termed ‘winterkill’.
Winterkill is a natural killer of frogs in cold winters. Many garden owners choose to take steps to reduce winter mortality and keep their local frog populations thriving.
The solution is simple, say Froglife: “To stop winterkill happening in your pond simply ensure that there is a hole in the ice for pond gases to escape. You can make a hole by leaving a plastic ball in the pond overnight, and removing it in the morning when the pond surface is frozen. Another idea is to leave a pan of hot water on the ice surface, and allow the base of the pan melt a hole.”
“Importantly though, never pour hot water on the pond ice, and don’t add chemicals (particularly salt), or try to shatter the ice. All of these methods can cause serious damage to pond inhabitants,” said Lucy Benyon, Froglife’s Wildlife Information Officer.
In many parts of the UK, a number of amphibian species (frogs, toads, newts) are facing serious declines, largely because of the loss of ponds in the wider countryside. Urban areas have provided a crucial refuge for some species, thanks to an increase in the number of garden ponds in the last thirty years.
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7 comments:
I read this too late, Ive been trying to keep airholes in my small pond,home to many frogs for severl yrs but alas this wed 07.01.09 11.59am, and there are at least 3 large dead frogs floating on the second layer of ice, and others that glook like small brown toads...
We have two "Plastic ducks" on our pond and in the morining after a frost, we remove them, They leave a slit where the base was and also look nice in the summer.
I too have read this too late, because from somewhere in advice given on advice on ponds, have been pouring hot water on to ice in my small garden pond most mornings; partly to release the ball which when released has then floated under the ice and partly to release ice on another part of the pond. However, so far no dead frogs have been sighted. Margaret, Boston, Lincs.
Only today I was clearing the pond (to repair a tear in the liner) and found an unmoving frog. It's eyes have a milky look. Is it dead or is it hibernating?
In January I put some strong wire across from one side of my pond to the other and put a double layer of bubble wrap over the top. I left one end slightly open but anchored down the rest with rocks from around the pond. The pond hasn't frozen over since then.
Once again I have been caughtout by bitter cold nights and ice formed on both my ponds before i could in stall my pond heater, result, two dead frogs on full of spawn, so saddened.
pond heaters are relatively cheap and cheap to run.
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