Cape Town - They are a few days earlier than expected but the boys have roared into town – to the delight of conservationists.
This wild bunch are male Western Leopard Toads, the endangered local amphibian that has become a surprising favourite of many Capetonians in recent years and that announces its annual breeding season with impressively loud “roars” that remind some people of the distinctive sound of Harley-Davidson “hogs”.
The beautifully-marked toad, scientifically Amietophrynus pantherinus, that can reach an impressive 140mm in length, is also known as the August toad because of its breeding season; the snoring toad because of its mating call; or the panther toad because of its distinct colouration.
These toads don’t live in water but head for ponds and wetlands only during their very short, “explosive” breeding season. This usually lasts about 10 days but may be just four or five days.
But when they’re on the move like this, they’re extremely vulnerable and some unfortunately end up as “flatties” or road kill. This is why teams of volunteers patrol known breeding locations in places such as the Silvermine River estuary in Fish Hoek, Bergvliet’s Die Oog, and Noordhoek, ready to escort the toads safely across roads.
The toads announced their presence this week in Skilpadsvlei, the small seasonal wetland in the heart of Kommetjie that has been rehabilitated over the past three years in a remarkably successful partnership between the City of Cape Town, Kommetjie Environmental Awareness Group (Keag), Wessa (Wildlife & Environment Society of SA) and local residents.
Now named the Skilpadsvlei Conservation Area, part of the motivation for rehabilitating this wetland that had been filled in during the 1940s was that it was a known toad habitat.
On Tuesday, Suretha Dorse of the city’s environmental resource management department reported from here: “Action sooner than expected! The toads are calling from Skilpadsvlei – nine males confirmed last night.”
And yesterday, she had further “excellent news” – “We had about 30 males calling at Skilpadsvlei last night and also saw two gravid females on the side of the waterbody, one pair in amplexus.”
(Gravid is carrying eggs, and amplexus is the mating position in which the male clasps the female around the back.)
“The calling is quite impressive and there was actually a medley of three species of frogs calling with the Western Leopard Toads – the Cape Sand Frog, Clicking Stream Frog and Flat Caco. We also saw a Cape River Frog,” Dorse reported.
Mayco member for economic, environmental and spatial planning Johan van der Merwe said the Skilpadsvlei rehabilitation project was “a sterling example of team work between local government and the community”.
“The ecosystem function has been restored and we are seeing the resurgence of the Western Leopard Toad in the area, and the area is once again becoming a key recreational space.
“It’s wonderful to see how the city’s partnership with community organisations is making progress possible by restoring the historical site to its former glory and much more.”
l If you want to volunteer your services to help the toads, contact the WLT Hotline 082 516 3602. On the web: www.leopardtoad.co.za and www.toadnuts.ning.com
Cape Argus