From 4 April to 2 May, traffic will be closed overnight from 21:00 to 05:00 on a section of Astangu Street (between Astangu Street 1–19) in Tallinn to ensure a safe migration route for frogs heading to nearby ponds to spawn.

Astangu Street is one of the most active amphibian migration areas in Estonia, home to four amphibian species. Every spring, thousands of frogs and newts migrate from their southern wintering grounds to ponds along Astangu Street to reproduce.

“Closing this stretch of road during the hours when mass amphibian migration occurs helps frogs cross safely and survive. Even light traffic could otherwise lead to mass casualties on this road,” explained Meelis Uustal, Head of the Environmental Protection Division at the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department.

The migration typically occurs at night under the right weather conditions between April and May, with peak activity between 22:00 and 23:00. While volunteers have helped amphibians cross the street over the past nine years, this has only partially mitigated the problem. Permanent solutions such as underpasses for frogs beneath Astangu Street are planned for the future.

“We’ve been monitoring the condition of Astangu’s frog ponds and their breeding success for several years. Despite high numbers of frogs, their spawning success has been low in recent years. Last year, we began improving the ponds by opening them up to sunlight—so tadpoles could develop faster—and by cleaning the easternmost pond of silt and debris. Recent follow-up studies show that these efforts significantly increased tadpole numbers,” added Uustal.

The city will continue habitat restoration work this year. In early 2025, pond banks were cleaned in the Paljassaare nature reserve, Harku forest protected area, and Merimetsa. In autumn, the city will clean several valuable frog ponds of silt and sediment to improve water quality for amphibians.


Background information:
All amphibians in Estonia are protected by law. According to the latest Red List assessments, amphibians are among the most threatened animal groups in the country, with populations that must be maintained or increased. Amphibians play a vital role in food webs both on land and in water. Frogs are also natural pest controllers and serve as indicators of overall environmental health.

Frogs are cold-blooded animals that breed in water and overwinter by burrowing into the ground or resting in pond sediments. They migrate three times a year: to breeding sites in spring, to summer habitats afterward, and back to wintering sites in the fall. Most frogs return to the same pond they hatched from to spawn.