Finland is a stronghold for Europe’s declining moor frog

Finland remains a key refuge for the moor frog, a species in sharp decline across Europe, according to Yle.

The country’s populations of the amphibian, particularly the moor frog, are relatively stable compared to broader European trends, where habitats such as ponds and small wetlands are disappearing. Biologist Jarmo Saarikivi, Helsinki’s leading environmental expert, notes that moor frogs require diverse, undisturbed environments for overwintering and breeding, which are increasingly scarce, especially in urban areas where small water bodies are often drained or piped away.

The moor frog holds the same protected status as the flying squirrel under EU habitat directives, placing a special responsibility on Finland to maintain viable populations. Destroying or degrading its habitats is strictly prohibited, a restriction that Saarikivi says can complicate development projects, as the presence of the species may block construction in affected areas.

Efforts to counter the decline include the creation of breeding ponds in Helsinki’s parks. Saarikivi adds that even small, sunlit ponds—just a few square metres—built in private gardens or summer cottages can help. While the frogs prefer warm, sunny spots, they will also use shaded ponds.

In southern Finland, this year’s young moor frogs have already undergone metamorphosis, losing their gills and tails while developing lungs and legs. They now hunt insects and other small invertebrates before entering hibernation in late September, re-emerging in April to return to the same ponds.