SPAWN CLUSTERS IN THE DARK
Spring marks the decisive phase of their work. As temperatures rise, Moritz and his team head out—wearing rubber boots and headlamps, wading alone or in pairs through the moor. They search shallow, fast-warming waters for the frogs’ spawn clusters. “Once you’ve found the right spot, there’s a good chance you’ll find spawn,” Moritz says. “But the males’ call can only be heard a few meters away.” The search must therefore focus on promising areas.
Much of the frogs’ activity takes place at dusk or at night. Under the cover of darkness, the animals lose their shyness, and their mating calls grow louder. For the team, each outing is a small adventure. “I love the nights in the moor,” says Moritz. “The sounds, and guessing which animal is calling. I can only recommend that everyone stands near a pond at sunset in May—you’ll hear a true concert begin.”
To ensure that this concert can continue, the collected spawn is taken to a breeding station. There, protected from predators and raised in warm water under optimal conditions, the tadpoles thrive. “In the wild, only a few survive,” Moritz explains. “With us, nearly 99 percent make it.”
The young frogs are later returned to their native waters or nearby shorelines. “In the long term, we also want to create new water bodies and establish frog populations there.” This requires time and patience. “After hatching, the animals disperse in a star-shaped pattern, often traveling several kilometers to their summer habitats. Only some return to their original waters,” Moritz says. “Otherwise, amphibians would never have spread in the first place.”
