Thousands of frogs in Somerset-West have been killed in recent days while crossing the road. It’s estimated that thousands of frogs annually cross the R44 road near Somerset Mall. They migrate from the dam at Paardevlei, to the dam at The Sanctuary Shopping Centre.

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A local scientist, Don Marx, has told Netwerk24 that the amphibians migrate when the first rain of the season falls, usually in March. This year, however, the rains came earlier.

Marx, also a volunteer at Frog Friends in Helderberg, says he was first on the scene on the 29th of January when a mass migration took place. He, along with many other volunteers and residents managed to save thousands of frogs as they crossed the road. At the same time, thousands of others died, when they ended up being driven over by motorists.

Marx has called for long-term plans to be put in place to save the frogs. He says this year, there were a lot of young toads crossing the road. Normally, bigger frogs make the trek across the road.

There’s been a report, that another mass migration took place last Friday. This one was however much smaller than the one at the end of January.

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The frogs that cross the road are a local species, that is not under threat. The common platanna is also known as the African clawed frog.

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Meanwhile, the City’s Deputy Mayor, who is also the Mayoral Committee Member for Spacial Development and the Environment, Eddie Andrews says one alternative plan would be to construct a subway under the R44, for the movement of fauna.

He says this could be a better option, than the creation of a dam or vlei on the same side of the road so that the frogs won’t need to migrate and thus cross the road.

He added that more information is needed about the migration. Also, the seasonality of the vlei and surrounding area should be probed.