April Showers Mean Time To Brake For Frogs

MassWildlife is asking drivers to take it a bit slower on the roads so they can watch for a new, seasonal obstacle: amphibians. That's right, keep your eyes peeled for frogs and salamanders next time your driving through town. These slippery little friends are emerging from their winter hideaways with the warm rains that April and May bring.

The animals are making the trek to aquatic breeding sites or their upland foraging habitats. A lot of the time, that means they have to travel, often in large groups, across roadways. MassWildlife said in a statement that during mass migrations, amphibians can be found in such high densities on certain stretches of road that avoidance while driving is virtually impossible. Every year, there are reports of dead amphibians—sometimes in the hundreds—on roadways near vernal pools and other wetlands.

The rains function as a signal of sorts for the animals to get moving, and with Monday night's downpour, you can bet there will be a few frogs out and about. Monday night's rain broke the Boston's single-day rainfall record. Boston got 2.3 inches of rain on Monday, the record was 1.89 inches for April 22 that was set in 1937.

“Please do your part to help ensure that future generations will come to know and appreciate the awesome sounds and signs of spring we all love,” says Jacob Kubel, MassWildlife Conservation Scientist. “Whenever possible these next few weeks, consider refraining from driving on rainy nights when air temperatures are 40°F or higher.”

Here are some things you can do to avoid hitting amphibians in the road and keep things safer for our slimy neighbors:

• If you have to drive, try delaying your trip past the first two hours after sunset.
• Try to stick to highways instead of wooded back roads.
• Plan routes that avoid wetlands vernal pools passed.
• If you spot a road with lots of amphibian traffic, report it to Linking Landscapes for Massachusetts Wildlife initiative. It's an organization that compiles data on roadkill problem areas to help identify ways to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Related:

Boston Breaks 82-Year-Old Record Rainfall