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Amphibian oasis

Irish nature
2026 | Cork, Ireland

Amphibians have not been having a great time in recent decades. 

Despite staunchly surviving at least four major mass extinctions involving desertification, continent-wide volcanic eruptions, ice ages and the effects of an asteroid impact, they’re now faced with outlasting human activities.

Yikes…

An impressively simple animal that will gradually change its overall form completely as it grows. This one is about a centimetre in length.

But despite their soft bodies and dependence on moisture and tranquil environments; frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and the less-known caecilians are amazingly skilled at dealing with crises. Our presence on this planet seems to be another one, though our impact is happening at an exceptionally fast rate and with so many factors playing in.

Currently, there’s a lethal fungus claiming the lives of thousands of species of amphibians around the world. As with anything bad happening to a lot of organisms, we are largely to blame for this amphibian pandemic; and so, we should do something, I guess?

View from Dzogchen Beara.

It’s likely that these tadpoles will turn into fully-limbed frogs, specifically a species known as the common frog (Rana temporaria). But discerning between frog versus toad tadpoles should be left to people who actively study them. Would be cool to be a herpetologist – just for a day or two.

The Temple at Dzogchen Beara.

Inadvertently or deliberately, the Dzogchen Beara isn’t only an oasis for Buddhist practitioners, tourists and inner peace seekers, but also for a few amphibian nurseries. In three ponds at the grounds, I spotted lively clusters of spawn and adorable tadpoles hatching and feasting on algae and plant material.

Lots and lots of tadpoles.

There were other more frequent signs of spring around the place, but when conditions allow for these animals to thrive, things seem to be okay. Looks like not only humans can find peace at Dzogchen Beara.

I don’t want to speculate on how they got there. It’s great to see them around the place.

References:

Kolbert, E. 2014. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History. Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9789385436024.

Olson, D.H., Ronnenberg, K.L., Glidden, C.K., Christiansen, K.R. & Blaustein, A.R. Global Patterns of the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Support Conservation Urgency. Front Vet Sci. 16;8:685877. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.685877.

https://www.dzogchenbeara.org/

https://iwt.ie/species-in-focus-common-frog/

https://thehsi.org/

Music in video licensed through audiojungle.net