Protection and management.

The Capture of Amphibians

In the Parks of the Cozie Alps, it is not allowed to capture, kill, or harm any animal, not even the smallest or most unknown ones. In this article, we want to focus on the so-called cold-blooded animals, especially on amphibians that are more visible during the spring season as they migrate towards wet areas where they reproduce by depositing eggs in water. In individual protected areas, conservation measures and rules of use regulate the protection and management of non-homeothermic wildlife species (reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates) due to the high value they hold in ecosystems.

What about outside the protected areas? Since 1982, Piedmont has established a strict precept with Law No. 32 "Rules for the conservation of the natural heritage and environmental structure" that prohibits the collection, destruction of eggs, capture, and killing of all amphibian species, as well as the capture, transport, and trade of toads. The only exception is represented by frogs, whose capture is allowed from July 1st to November 30th for a maximum of 20 specimens per person per day (increased to 100 in rice-growing areas), without using traps or nets and never at night. This is an exception respectful of Piedmontese culinary traditions but perhaps no longer sustainable today, in times of drought, reduction of wetlands, and the progressive disappearance of all aquatic fauna.

In any case, a very simple rule confirmed - as the saying goes - grants only one exception, which does not apply within the Parks. Firstly, to prevent even the slightest compromise of natural balances, and then out of respect: we are more guests there than elsewhere. When entering a friend's house, we clean our shoes and do not steal their dog or child.

In addition to the clarity of the laws, common-sense rules remain, which are also valid in all natural environments, not just in protected ones. If there is a need to move an amphibian in danger - engaged in crossing a road, for example - it is important to avoid touching it with bare hands. First of all, because our body temperature as "warm-blooded" animals may burn the skin of "cold-blooded" animals such as frogs, toads, and salamanders, whose skin is particularly delicate and must always remain moist and protected by a mucilaginous substance to assist the lungs in breathing. In addition, in the case of handling multiple specimens, there is a risk of transmitting pathogenic agents like bacteria or fungi among individuals that have been circulating for several years, putting species in difficulty. The precaution is therefore to always wear a pair of gloves when handling animals for the shortest time possible and possibly using a clean plastic container for any transfer of animals to a safe place.

Among vertebrates, the class of amphibians is the one that includes the highest number of endangered species. Their small size, limited mobility, and the need for aquatic habitats for reproduction and larval development as well as terrestrial habitats for hibernation and estivation make these animals extremely sensitive to any change. Those directly linked to human activities, such as the construction of roads, embankments, fences, and architectural structures that often represent insurmountable barriers during migration periods. And the infamous climate changes that, especially in the Western Alps, have generated prolonged periods of drought in recent years, resulting in the reduction of wetlands necessary for their survival. In short, even within the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps, amphibian populations show a dangerous decline for the balance of ecosystems since they are great consumers of annoying insects for humans like mosquitoes and in turn provide food to many bird species.

The bans imposed by laws do not arise from the wrong behaviors of one or a few people but from the danger posed by individual actions - each one little influential - multiplied by a hundred or a thousand. Since the visitors to protected areas number in the millions, a Park Authority has the task of supervising the small gestures that, often due to ignorance, can collectively have a significant impact on the most delicate species, such as amphibians.

In the daily monitoring, it often happens to have to answer the question "Is a toad the male of a frog?" No, they are two distinct species: the frog has its own prince, and the toad mates with its own toad which, even without turning into a prince charming, will always be the most beautiful to her.