Introduction to habitat management for amphibians

Amphibian habitat requirements

 Amphibians require suitable aquatic and terrestrial habitat to support their life histories. Their eggs are laid in water and they develop there. Outside the breeding season adults and juveniles spent much of their time on land, where they need humid conditions to prevent water loss.

• Suitable water bodies for egg laying

• Shelter from excessive heat, dryness and predators

• Suitable foraging areas and sufficiently large populations of prey species

• Suitable hibernation sites

Management objectives

The aim is to develop a viable population on a site that is secure and self-sustaining in the long term.  Management of habitat should therefore aim:

 To maintain:

• Ponds with a sunny aspect, suitable depth and amount of aquatic vegetation

• A terrestrial habitat vegetation structure appropriate for the species concerned.

• Unpolluted water and a  water table

• Open areas within habitats – sunlight at ground level

• Continuity of sufficient and appropriate habitat over time

• Hibernation areas 

• Connectivity at a landscape level of areas occupied by amphibians

 To avoid:

• The introduction of fish to ponds used by amphibians

• Using ponds to support large numbers of wildfowl

• Activities that damage the terrestrial vegetation structure that amphibians require

• Pond management during the amphibian breeding or hibernation seasons

• Activities that can cause direct killing or injuring of animals or significant disturbance