Distribution

The moor frog has been found in all provinces. There is however only a single, unconfirmed record from the province of Flevoland, on the small former island of Urk (1945), where this frog is now considered to be extinct. Concentrations are present on inland sandy and peaty soils. Hotspots for occurrence are the sandy soils in the north, east, centre and south, the raised bogs in these sandy areas, and the peat bogs and polders in the northern and western parts of the Netherlands. Coastal dune populations are present on the Wadden Sea island of Texel (province of Noord-Holland) and on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland in the province of Zeeland.

Status

The moor frog is listed on the Red List as not threatened. It is strictly protected under Dutch legislation, the Bern Convention (Annex ii) and the Habitats Directive (Annex iv). The range of the moor frog decreased by 27.4% since 1950. This decrease is caused by habitat loss due to cultivation of heathlands and raised bogs, combined with the intensification of agricultural practices and lowering of ground water levels in particularly brook valleys, fen meadows and polders. The moor frog can be encouraged by careful and small scale habitat management which promotes marshy, low dynamic areas. The recent substantial decrease of the acidity of many moorland pools will most probably have a positive effect. Hydrological restoration in many nature reserves might also have a positive effect. The construction of ponds does not seem to be an effective conservation measure for the moor frog in the Netherlands.

Remarks

The Netherlands has one of the westernmost populations of the species (Schouwen-Duiveland, province of Zeeland).

Bron

Auteur(s)

Jong, T.H. de, Vos, C.C.

Publicatie

• Creemers, R.C.M. & J.J.C.W. van Delft 2009. De amfibieën en reptielen van Nederland. Nederlandse Fauna 9. Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Naturalis, KNNV Uitgeverij & European Invertebrate Survey-Nederland, Leiden.