Mystery over dwindling numbers of local frogs
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Mystery over dwindling numbers of local frogs
nlnews@archant.co.uk

Walter Roberts at Camley Street Natural Park
IT'S not easy being green, as Kermit the Frog once sang, and that seems
to be the case - because this spring our local frog population seems to
have vanished.The ponds at Camley Street Natural Park in King's Cross,
Gillespie Park in Highbury and the Hampstead and Highgate ponds are
usually teaming with frogs and frogspawn at this time of year.But Walter
Roberts, of Henfield Close, Archway, said: "I've been to lots of ponds
and I can't find any frogs anywhere."I can't understand what has
happened to them.

At Camley Street Natural Park there are about five or six terrapins so
maybe the terrapins are to blame. There are also a lot of foxes around
and frogs are part of their diet. "Perhaps during the night the foxes
get them and during the day the terrapins get them. I've asked staff at
the park but they don't have an explanation."He added: "Frogs are part
of the food chain and it could have an effect on other species."A London
Wildlife Trust spokesman said: "There don't appear to be as many frogs
around this year and we've had similar reports from ecology surveyors
who say there are not as many newts this year either."There may be
various reasons.
The milder winter may not have been such a good thing for frogs because
they usually hibernate. "A warmer winter means they are more active so
they need to look for food which might not be as plentiful in the winter
months."There was a dry spell earlier this year too which may have
affected them."They may have also mated earlier this year which could be
why no-one can see any trace of them now.

"He added: "Numbers of terrapins have been constant over the past few
years and there has been no significant increase in fox numbers in
London, and they have plenty of other things to eat too so it is
unlikely to be the cause.