As soon as the outside temperature rises above eight degrees Celsius, frogs, toads and newts migrate from their winter quarters to the ponds in which they themselves once grew up. This is particularly the case in the mornings and evenings at dusk.

The animals sometimes have to cross busy roads on their migration to the spawning grounds. Without the appropriate protective measures, they are often run over in large numbers. In Aachen, this mainly happens on the following roads: Eupener Straße, Lütticher Straße, Grünenthal, Lemierser Berg, Purweider Weg, Entenpfuhler Weg, Hasselholzer Weg, Prunkweg, Broichweidener Weg, Strüverweg and Triftweg.

The change in weather to warmer and wetter conditions has ensured that this year's amphibian migration has already begun in recent days. For this reason, amphibian protection fences are currently being erected again on Lemierser Berg, Entenpfuhler Weg, Eupener Straße and Broichweidener Weg.

In addition to driving directly over them, cars passing close by at speeds of 30 kilometers per hour or more also pose a considerable risk to the animals, as the resulting negative pressure can cause internal, often fatal injuries to the lungs (barotrauma). For this reason, the city's Climate and Environment Department is asking all motorists to drive particularly carefully and considerately on the roads and paths mentioned in the coming weeks until the end of April. This will protect the animals and also the amphibian conservationists who will be temporarily on duty on roads and paths.

As in previous years, some roads will be closed to through traffic temporarily or for the whole day. So if you are traveling by car, you can currently expect closures on the following roads:

• Purweider Weg and Strüverweg will be closed between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. to protect migrating amphibians.
• In the Richterich district, Grünenthal Street will be closed all day by bollards for the duration of the toad migration between "Zehnthof" and the garages of Grünenthal house number 34.
• In the district of Aachen-Haaren, more precisely in Verlautenheide, the road connection Waldstraße/Prunkweg will be closed to through traffic by a row of bollards at the level of the two hiking parking lots until the end of the amphibian migration. The two hiking parking lots will remain accessible for walkers.