During the peak of the amphibian breeding season I checked some canal manholes for trapped animals. The best way to do this is to go after dark, because in daytime the nocturnal amphibians will hide under the dead leafs and other stuff that fell in the manhole. After a short time of searching, I found 8 newts and two Common Toads.
Liftig the heavy manhole covers is a nice workout and a good way to irritate your neighbors. For safety reasons, you should't do this alone, but always have an assistant with you. In my case I asked my mom to join me. It's funny, our mother & son amphibian rescue missions started more than two decades ago... I am very grateful for this nice tradition!
I released the lucky critters in a pond nearby. Before that I put a couple of the beautiful Alpine Newts (Ichthyosaura alpestris) in a small tank to take some pictures.
