Protected amphibians trapped in deadly fountain: bank pledges solution

A Danish conservation group has handed a bucket of live toads to a local bank branch to highlight how protected amphibians are being washed into a deadly saltwater fjord, prompting the bank to promise action after years of inaction.

The incident took place at Sparekassen Danmark’s branch in Mariager, where Peter Toubøl, a member of the local chapter of Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (Danish Society for Nature Conservation), delivered a bucket of common toads collected from the bank’s decorative fountain. The animals, including toads, frogs, and salamanders, become trapped in the fountain after being washed down from nearby breeding ponds, then flushed into the saltwater of Mariager Fjord, where they die.

“We’ve worked on this issue for three years, but nothing happens,” Toubøl told DR. “When we write to the bank, we get no response. I thought they needed proof of the problem.”

The species in question—common toads, frogs, and both the great crested and smooth newts—are legally protected in Denmark, with some classified as threatened. A previous meeting with the bank had been promised but never materialised. Following the bucket delivery, however, Sparekassen Danmark has now invited conservationists to discuss solutions.

Toubøl proposes installing an artificial barrier of large stones at the pond’s outlet to block the animals while allowing water to flow into the fountain. Rasmus Krog Madsen, the bank’s director of strategy and communication, acknowledged the delay in addressing the issue.

“It’s been unclear who bears responsibility—us or the municipality—and too little has been done. That’s not good enough,” Madsen said, adding that the bank will now collaborate with Mariagerfjord Municipality and conservationists to find a solution.

The society has reported both the bank and the municipality to Denmark’s Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø (Agency for Green Transition and Water Environment) for failing to prevent the animals’ deaths.

While Madsen criticised the bucket stunt as “not ideal,” he admitted it effectively drew attention to a long-neglected problem.