Estonia Closes Highway to Allow Safe Passage for Frogs and Toads

In Estonia's capital Tallinn, one of the busy highways will be closed until the end of April to allow frogs and toads to cross safely. The New York Post reports that amphibians migrate annually from one side of the highway to the other, wintering in one area and returning to their original habitat after the weather warms up, where they find ideal conditions for breeding.

Typically, volunteers help the amphibians by transporting them across hazardous areas. So far, these volunteers have successfully saved over 97,000 individuals, according to the portal. “This year, volunteers cannot gather due to the pandemic, but safety measures were still necessary, as it is difficult for amphibians to move across hot asphalt,” the report states, adding that as many as 300 frogs can find themselves on the road at once.

Officials are considering the possibility of building a tunnel under the road for the frogs or creating breeding conditions on the same side of the road where they hibernate.