Weinand Wildlife
Rotbauchunke (Bombina bombina)
Fire-bellied toads (genus Bombina) are primitive anurans known and named for their yellow to red and black belly patterns. If threatened they will display these warning colours to potential predators by arching their backs and raising their legs and chin.
The European fire-bellied toad reaches it's northwestern range limit in the Morainic Uplands of eastern Schleswig-Holstein. While internationally of least concern, in Germany the species is listed as endangered, critically so in the northernmost federal state. From 2004 to 2009 the mainly EU funded conservation program "LIFE-Bombina" to the tune of over 2 Million € coordinated protective measures in Denmark, Sweden, Latvia and Schleswig-Holstein. Fundamental genetic research, a breeding and headstarting program, the creation of 160 new water bodies, wetland restoration, habitat optimization, coservation grazing and the creation of stepping stone habitats to reconnect the gene flow between populations have helped to stop the decline and in fact many populations have grown considerably.
I was lucky enough to visit one of the largest populations in the state with several hundred male callers during breeding season. Words can not desribe the ethereal beauty of hundreds and hundreds of bell-like chimes carried over by the wind, interweaving into an almost tangible cover of sound spread over flooded meadows. In fact, the local conservation trust gives guided "concert tours" every year as part of it's public outreach program. Maybe this nice little YouTube video can give you a very small scale impression:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eaE9J3Cd0A
Update 19.03.2020: Good news! The most recent version of the Red List for Schleswig-Holstein has upgradet Bombina bombina from "critically endangered" to "endangered". :)
Rotbauchunke (Bombina bombina)
Fire-bellied toads (genus Bombina) are primitive anurans known and named for their yellow to red and black belly patterns. If threatened they will display these warning colours to potential predators by arching their backs and raising their legs and chin.
The European fire-bellied toad reaches it's northwestern range limit in the Morainic Uplands of eastern Schleswig-Holstein. While internationally of least concern, in Germany the species is listed as endangered, critically so in the northernmost federal state. From 2004 to 2009 the mainly EU funded conservation program "LIFE-Bombina" to the tune of over 2 Million € coordinated protective measures in Denmark, Sweden, Latvia and Schleswig-Holstein. Fundamental genetic research, a breeding and headstarting program, the creation of 160 new water bodies, wetland restoration, habitat optimization, coservation grazing and the creation of stepping stone habitats to reconnect the gene flow between populations have helped to stop the decline and in fact many populations have grown considerably.
I was lucky enough to visit one of the largest populations in the state with several hundred male callers during breeding season. Words can not desribe the ethereal beauty of hundreds and hundreds of bell-like chimes carried over by the wind, interweaving into an almost tangible cover of sound spread over flooded meadows. In fact, the local conservation trust gives guided "concert tours" every year as part of it's public outreach program. Maybe this nice little YouTube video can give you a very small scale impression:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eaE9J3Cd0A
Update 19.03.2020: Good news! The most recent version of the Red List for Schleswig-Holstein has upgradet Bombina bombina from "critically endangered" to "endangered". :)