VIDEO: Thousands of frogs 'massacred' on R44 in Western Cape
Warning: This article contains footage that is not suitable for sensitive viewers.
Residents of Somerset West and surrounding areas have been witnessing the mass death of thousands of frogs on the R44.
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The frogs, who were seemingly migrating towards the dam at The Sanctuary Shopping Centre, have been unfortunate in their journey.
Many of the migrating amphibians have been decimated by vehicles on the road, leaving the R44 covered in the remains of these animals.
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The following video, which has been shared on social media and was originally posted on the '4 Cape Town Alert' WhatsApp group, shows the extent of the harm that has been caused.
You can even spot a few surviving frogs trying to make their way to safety:
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The Common Platanna frogs (Xenopus laevis) usually are seen migrating after the first rains of the season in March, but were unexpectedly seen migrating much earlier this year.
According to Frog Friends Helderberg, a group focused on assisting frogs from this region, the R44 is built in the middle of the frogs' migration zone, which is why this massive dispersal has taken place.
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After noticing that the migration was happening, many Frog Friends members and motorists who had pulled over tried to assist them by moving them over to where they were heading.
Marine scientist Don Marx said he and other residents saved many, but the rest were killed:
When I arrived there I was quite shocked to see the amount of frogs. It seems to be all juvenile frogs trying to find their own ponds. We were using makeshift buckets and scoops that we made of water bottles. It’s the first time I saw juvenile frogs. Seeing tens and thousands of dead frogs in the road and having people race through and not slow down. Seeing the total disconnect and disregard for nature is quite sad.
The frogs are not endangered but they are protected under the Conservation Ordinance.
According to various sources, more details surrounding the migration and the movements of these frogs are needed in order to provide the necessary assistance in the future in the hopes of preventing another mass dispersal.
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Main image courtesy of @gvbconservancy/X