Living in the Baltic Sea

Habitat
Pool Frogs are amphibians, living in sunny pools of water close to the coast but also on land, thriving in humid and swampy areas. They are rarely seen swimming in the Baltic Sea but due to the low salinity it is possible for them, especially up north. They are active by day. Pool Frogs hibernate in a hole in the ground and emerge in the spring, Hibernation occurs from September - May. They spend the first weeks in the sun. Predators feeding on Pool Frogs include Pike, Heron, Mink and snakes.
Food
Adults feed on invertebrates and flying insects by snapping at them as they fly past or they reach out with their sticky tongue to catch their prey. The tadpoles feed on algae and detritus, juveniles eat flies and larvae.

Reproduction
Age: 2-3 years old
Season: March-June
Number of eggs: 440 - 4400

Breeding begins with the males sitting in a pond croaking loudly by day and night to attract a female. The loud call can be heard 1 km away. During mating the male sits on the females’ back for several days waiting for her to release her eggs to fertilize them. Females lay 2 or 3 clumps of eggs that sink to the muddy bottom of the pond. During 3 months the eggs develop into tadpoles with gills living in water and finally into froglets able to breathe air.

Human impact and Status
The Pool Frog is a protected species with a declining number of individuals. The diminishing populations are caused by decreased pond habitat and air pollution leading to over-nitrification of pond waters. CLOSE