Danish reptiles and amphibiansBrief information, Danish species.
I won’t go into details with this section since it wasn’t my intention to create a comprehensive website. However, I have chosen to make a brief section with all of the Danish reptiles and amphibians. This section is only made for people who don’t know much about the topic. I wont go into details at all. Denmark's herptiles consists of 14 species of amphibian and six species of reptiles. They are all threatened to a greater or lesser degree.. The described circumstances, such as hibernation and mating seasons, is of course only valid in DK. In Denmark the weather has been very unstable the past few years, sometimes the animals appear several months before they should. The dates should only be used as indicative guidelines. |
Danish reptiles
Name: Vipera berus - Common european adder. Danish name: Hugorm. Status: Protected. Hibenation: The males arrive in the first half of March sometimes slightly later, into April. Females apear 30-40 days after the males. (Sometimes the adders appear in February). Location: All of Denmark
Read more about the king of the heather, Vipera berus: Click here |
Name: Lacerta agilis - Sand lizard. Danish name: Markfirben. Status: Totally protected. Habitat-Directive Annex IV of the Bern Convention Appendix II, Red, Natura 2000. Hibernation: The male will appear in mid-April. The female will only emerge in mid-May. Location: It is rare in parts of Denmark, the lack of Læsø, and is rare in western Jutland. Possibly lacking in Falster, Lolland and Langeland. |
Name: Emys orbicularis – European pond terrapin. Danish Name: Europæisk sumpskilpadde.Status: Protected by the habitat directive annex IV of the Bern Convention appendix II, Redlisted, Natura 2000. Breeding season: The entire summer. Location: European pond turtles are only found at Silkeborg. Whether the turtles are the remains of a surviving original Danish population, or whether they are released by humans is uncertain. Until the 1930s there was European pond turtles many places in Denmark, particular in Ribe. Between Aabenraa and Haderslev there existed a stock as late as 1958. In addition, the specie was reported in Skjern Å until the 1970s. (Picture from SNS).
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Danish amphibians
Name: Rana temporaria - Eurpean common frog. Danish name: Butsnudet frø. Status: Protected, (Its breeding ponds is protected by § 3 of the Nature Protection law. If they are over 100m2.) Habitats Directive Annex V, Natura 2000. Breeding Season: 10th-15th April Location: Common frogs is found throughout Denmark with the exception of Læsø, Endelave, det sydfyndske øhav, Sejerø, Lolland, Falster, Møn and Bornholm. |
Name: Rana dalmatina – The agile frog. Danish name: Springfrø. Status: Protected. The frogs breeding habitats are protected by § 3 of the Danish nature protection law, if the ponds etc. are over 100m ². Protevted by, Habitats Directive Annex IV of the Bern Convention Appendix II, Natura 2000. Breeding Season: Around April. Location: South Denmark |
Name: Bombina bombina – European Fire-bellied Toad. Danish name: Klokkefrø. Status: Protected (Threatened). The ponds the frogs are found in are protected by § 3 of the Danish nature protection law, if the pond is over 100m2. European Fire-bellied Toads are protected under the EF Habitat Directive. Habitats Directive Annex II + IV, Natura 2000 - Speciecode 1188. Breeding season: May to April Location: Southeast Denmark. |
Name: Pelophylax kl. esculentus – Edible frog. Danish name: Grøn frø. Status: Protected. The frogs breeding habitat are protected by § 3 of the Danish nature protection law, if the pond etc. are over 100m2. Protected by, habitat directive annex V, Natura 2000. Breeding Season: late May. Location: Eastern Denmark, only found some places in Jutland up to Hobro. Common in the sydfynske øhav, but rare on fyn. It does not exist in Hornsherred and the Copenhagen suburbs. It is, however, also found on several small isolated islands, such as Årø, Samso and Romsø in the store Belt - and Christiansø at Bornholm. |
Name: Pelophylax ridibundus. - Marsh Frog. Danish name: Latterfrø. Status: Protected. The frogs breeding habitats are protected by § 3 of the Danish nature protection law, if the pond etc. are over 100m2. Protected by, Habitat directive annex V Natura 2000. Breeding Season: Late May and in the end of June. Location: Only on Bornholm. But is released various locations in Aarhus and Copenhagen. (Picture from SNS). |
Name: Pelobates fuscus - Common Spadefoot. Danish name: Løgfrø. Status: Protected. (Common but declined in numbers dramatically). Protected by habitats directive annex IV, Natura 2000. Breeding Season: Late March to the start of May. Location: All of Denmark except on Samsø and fyn. (Picture from SNS). |
Name: Rana arvalis - Moor Frog. Danish name: Spidssnudet frø. Status: Protected The frogs breeding habitats are protected by § 3 of the Danish nature protection law, if the pond etc. are over 100m2. Protected by, habitat directive annex IV, Bern Convention Appendix II, Natura 2000. Breeding Season: Approximately 10th - 15th of April. Location: Almost anywhere in Denmark, with the exception of Bornholm, and some of the smaller islands as Rømø, Anholt, Endelave, Ærø and Saltholm |
Name: Epidalea calamita - Natterjack toad. Danish name: Strandtudse. Status: Protected. The frogs breeding habitats are protected by § 3 of the Danish nature protection law, if the pond etc. are over 100m2. Protected by the habitats directive annex IV of the Bern Convention, Appendix II, Natura 2000. Hibernation: Natterjack toads begins to croak in the middle or end of April. Breeding season ranges from early May into early June. Location: All of Denmark except on Læsø. (Picture from SNS). . |
Name: Bufo bufo – Common toad. Danish name: Skrubtudse. Status: Protected, (plain). Breeding Season: Start of march and the first half of April. Location: The common toad is found throughout Denmark but is entirely missing in Bogø, Endelave, Sejerø, Femø, Saltholm, Anholt, Læsø and several other little islands. |
Name: Hyla aborea – European tree frog. Danish name: Løvfrø Status: Habitats Directive Annex IV. Bern Convention Appendix II. Protected. Natura 2000. Breeding Season: Males start to croak in the last days of april. The eggs are presented in May to June, and the number varies from 160-1100. Tadpoles transform into frogs during the period 20 July 15th August, after which they go ashore. They become sexually mature after approx. 2 years. Only 10% survive the first 2 years. The frogs wanders away from the breeding water wells during June-July. Location: Southeast Jylland, Als, Lolland, Sjælland and Bornholm. The European tree frog was released in Aarhus and Slagelse in the 1990s and is now found in vigorous stocks
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Name: Triturus cristatus - Great crested newt. Danish name: Stor vandsalamander. Status: Protected. Most of the great crested newt's habitat is protected by § 3 of the Danish nature conservation law. Protected by the habitats directive annex II + IV, Bern Convention appendix II, Natura 2000 - Speciescode: 1166. Breeding Season: In March-April the animals apear from hibernation and wander down to their waterholes, There they will stay througout the summer and mate. Location: Great Crested Newt is common throughout the entire country, except in West Jutland and Vendsyssel. |
Invasive species
Name: Trachemys scripta elegans – Red eared slider. Danish Name: Rødøret terrapin.Status: The red eared slider is considered to be an invasive species in the Danish herpefauna. The negative effect that this species has on the ecosystem and other species is unknown. They might damage the natural flora and fauna, such as invertebrates, birds and amphibians. Since the 1980s this particularly species have been found in various ponds and lakes. All red eared sliders in Denmark are a result of illegal captive releasing in the wild. (Picture from SNS). More information Ecology Extermination and prevention |
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Name: Pelophylax kurtmuelleri – Balkan frog. Danish Name: Balkanlatterfrø. Status: The species is not native to Denmark and was first recorded in fælledparken in Copenhagen in 1990. Based on the analyzes of the frogs calls, it was concluded that they probably where kurtmuelleri, and that they were released laboratory animals. |
Miscellaneous
Name: Eleaphe longissima/Zamensis longissimus - Aesculapian snake. Danish name: Æskulapsnog. Status: Protected by the habitat directive annex IV of the Bern Convention appendix II, Redlisted, Natura 2000. Location: The species was widely found in Denmark in 1800th century in; Nordsjælland, Jylland og Falster. The last time this species was found in Denmark was in 1910. The species is now declared distinct from the Danish herpefauna. |
Name: Smooth snake - Coronella austriaca. Danish name: Glatsnog. Status: : Protected by the habitat directive annex IV of the Bern Convention appendix II, Redlisted, Natura 2000. Location: Last time somebuddy saw a C. Austriaca was in Hjerl Hede in 1914. Perhaps the snake was spotted in Vendsyssel as late as 1979, but it did not get confirmed by any herpetologists. This species was known from, Jylland, Fyn and Sjælland. It can’t be ruled out that this species perhabs still exists in Denmark, even though most fieldherpers and herpetologists don’t really think so.
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Marine reptiles
Leatherback turtle - Dermochelys coriacea
Danish name: Læderskilpadde (Link: Fugle & natur)
Loggerhead Sea Turtle - Caretta caretta
Danish name: Uægte karette (Link: Fugle og natur)
Kemp's Ridley - Lepidochelys kempii
Danish name: Kemp's Ridley / Bastardskilpadde (Link: Fugle og natur)
Danish name: Læderskilpadde (Link: Fugle & natur)
Loggerhead Sea Turtle - Caretta caretta
Danish name: Uægte karette (Link: Fugle og natur)
Kemp's Ridley - Lepidochelys kempii
Danish name: Kemp's Ridley / Bastardskilpadde (Link: Fugle og natur)