Observasjon av buttsnutefrosk i aktivitet på vinteren i Nordland

Abstract

The common frog Rana temporaria normally spends the winter in Norway in hibernation. Here I report on an observation of an individual in activity in the middle of January, almost as far north as the Arctic Circle(12,27E; 65,98N). It was on January 18th 2013, during a mild spell. The frog did most certainly not wake up voluntarily, but more likely by the increased water flow in the small brook where it was observed. However, it was actively moving around and tried to hide when it became aware of my presence. The frog was left out of sight a few seconds when I went for my camera, but when I returned it could not be found again. Presumably it had dug itself down into the mud at the bottom of the creek. The literature states that the common frog can be active during winter, but then normally swimming in water. However, few actual observations are reported. The common toad Bufu bufo, on the other hand, is known to be more active during winter.