With God's Help for the Toads

Citizen Conservation / With God’s Help for the Toads

Pastor Ole Dost became a fellow campaigner for the rescue of a highly endangered toad through a bicycle tour on Mallorca.

Breeder

Ole Dost

Species

Mallorca Midwife Toad

Region

Mediterranean

Ole Dost is a Protestant pastor and teacher for religious education. The enthusiastic nature photographer came to keep frogs in terrariums by photographing them – and later to a little-known region in the south of India.

How on earth did a pastor and teacher end up teaming up with frogs? Actually, he had wanted to become a biologist. Because of his passion for animals. Once, when five-year-old Ole was waiting at the dentist’s office, tormented by boredom, he reached for one of the picture books on display. It was about amphibians, the development from egg to tadpole to the finished amphibian, about the biggest and the smallest frog in the world. The boy was immediately enthusiastic, it was a love at first sight that would not let him go. Perhaps it was God’s providence. In the end, he studied Protestant theology, but as an enthusiastic nature photographer, he continued to devote his free time to frogs.

From nature photographer to amphibian breeder

Even as a child, Ole brought all kinds of animals to his home, he sat fascinated in front of the TV when Sielmann and Professor Grzimek took viewers on their expeditions into the realm of wild animals, and the school magazine “Tierfreund” made him look in amazement at the pictures of renowned photographers – all this awakened the desire to photograph animals himself. With the first money he earned through school jobs he bought a good camera, and off he went! But many amphibians were difficult to document in all their behaviors in the wild. So Ole came to terraristics.

Ole's favorite photo motives

The Western Ghats in India are a hotspot of amphibian diversity. Here, amateur nature photographer Ole Dost finds plenty of photo motifs during his excursions, such as the Asian black-spined toad (Duttaphryne melanostictus), which is widespread in South Asia. | Ole Dost — The Western Ghats in India are a hotspot of amphibian diversity. Here, amateur nature photographer Ole Dost finds plenty of photo motifs during his excursions, such as the Asian black-spined toad (*Duttaphryne melanostictus*), which is widespread in South Asia. | Ole Dost

Ghaticxalus asterops is the most strikingly colored member of its small frog genus, found only in the Western Ghats. | Ole Dost — *Ghaticxalus asterops* is the most strikingly colored member of its small frog genus, found only in the Western Ghats. | Ole Dost

Among the least known amphibians are the subterranean caecilians. Only during heavy rainfall does Ichtyophis kodaguensisdare to come to the surface. | Ole Dost — Among the least known amphibians are the subterranean caecilians. Only during heavy rainfall does *Ichtyophis kodaguensis*dare to come to the surface. | Ole Dost

The genus Indosylvirana is found almost exclusively in the Western Ghats. Indosylvirana sreeni lives at the edge of water bodies and is always ready to dive into the saving wet with a courageous jump. | Ole Dost — The genus *Indosylvirana* is found almost exclusively in the Western Ghats. *Indosylvirana sreeni* lives at the edge of water bodies and is always ready to dive into the saving wet with a courageous jump. | Ole Dost

For humans, the more than 20 species of the genus Minervarya are hardly distinguishable. And yet each has its own call, and the females of Minervarya mudduraja know exactly that they are expected by this male. | Ole Dost — For humans, the more than 20 species of the genus *Minervarya* are hardly distinguishable. And yet each has its own call, and the females of *Minervarya mudduraja* know exactly that they are expected by this male. | Ole Dost

As in all tropical regions, in the Western Ghats one often shares one's accommodation with a friendly bathroom frog. Here Polypedates maculatus has taken on this role. | Ole Dost — As in all tropical regions, in the Western Ghats one often shares one's accommodation with a friendly bathroom frog. Here *Polypedates maculatus* has taken on this role. | Ole Dost

Although the shrub frog Polypedates pseudocruciger belongs to a genus that is widespread and species-rich in South Asia, it is found here exclusively in the Western Ghats. | Ole Dost — Although the shrub frog *Polypedates pseudocruciger* belongs to a genus that is widespread and species-rich in South Asia, it is found here exclusively in the Western Ghats. | Ole Dost

In an altitude range between 1,500 and 2,600 meters the characteristic shola forests are growing, evergreen tree groves embedded in grassland. Unfortunately, they have been largely deforested, and with them the Raochrestes chlorosomma, which only lives here, is threatening to disappear. | Ole Dost — In an altitude range between 1,500 and 2,600 meters the characteristic shola forests are growing, evergreen tree groves embedded in grassland. Unfortunately, they have been largely deforested, and with them the *Raochrestes chlorosomma*, which only lives here, is threatening to disappear. | Ole Dost

The bicolored red and blue iris of Raorchestes glandulosus is especially pretty. | Ole Dost — The bicolored red and blue iris of *Raorchestes glandulosus* is especially pretty. | Ole Dost

Coffee plants are ideal calling grounds for the reproductively active males of Raorchestes jayarami | Ole Dost — Coffee plants are ideal calling grounds for the reproductively active males of *Raorchestes jayarami* | Ole Dost

It is worth looking deep into the eyes of Raorchestes luteolus, which are usually yellowish orange at mating time - for they are adorned with a fine blue ring. | Ole Dost

Raorchestes sushili also lives in the endangered shola forests. | Ole Dost

The most colorful frog of the Westghats is probably Rhacophorus lateralis. If you get funny with him, he can change his color to a dirty brown. | Ole Dost

The flying frog Rhacophorus malabaricus can cover a distance of over ten meters with its gliding jump. | Ole Dost

The somewhat bulbous Uperodon triangularis lays its eggs in water-filled tree cavities of upland forests. | Ole Dost

Ole's favorite photo motives

The call of the Wild

In the terrarium, Ole brought nature home to photograph, but photography always brought him into the wild. After years of photographing native species, he was lured by the biodiversity of the rainforests. Looking for a conveniently accessible destination, he came across the little-known Western Ghats mountain range in southern India – a global amphibian hotspot. He was enthralled by the region’s richness of species and individuals, and returned here again and again for new photo safaris.

From race bike riding pastor to toad protector

A priest straight out of a religion book: Ole Dost at the confirmation of his daughter Friederike | private

Pastor Ole in action on behalf of the Lord in his home in the Black Forest. In the meantime, he has taken up work as a religion teacher. | private

Pastor Ole in action on his own behalf throughout Europe: as a bicycle racer, he participated in several international races. A training on Mallorca led him through the Serra de Tramuntana. | private

The Serra de Tramuntana on Mallorca conveys an idyllic image, but in its gorges a living fossil fights for naked survival. | Dawn Fleming/Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

On his bike ride, Ole had no idea that he was riding through the habitat of Europe's most endangered frog, even though the area, which had shrunk even more in the meantime (in red), could be significantly expanded through the reintroduction program of European zoos (in blue).

In the hidden, deep ravines of the Serra, the Mallorca midwife toads find their last refuge in the wild. | Dawn Fleming/Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Back home in the Black Forest, Ole read about the fascinating rare toad species where the male carries the eggs on his back. He decided to participate in the conservation breeding of these animals as part of Citizen Conservation. | Ole Dost

With the racing bike to the toad

Besides photography, Ole also indulges in road cycling. His home in the Black Forest offers plenty of beautiful routes with decent climbs. He participated in cycling marathons all over Europe. It was also a bike race that took him to Mallorca in the Serra de Tramuntana. Later, he read in a journal that in the ravines there a living fossil has survived to this day: the Mallorca midwife toad. It is critically endangered, but its population has been stabilized through a dedicated zoo breeding program. When Citizen Conservation offered the opportunity for private owners to join this conservation project, Ole was immediately on board.

"Our youth is not enthusiastic about nature? Nonsense! What is decisive here is the personal experience."

Enthusiastic about nature

Ole has not only been able to get his own two children excited about amphibians; the biology teachers at his school have also had the clerical colleague design an amphibian course. With great success: “Even the most behaviorally challenged students were captivated by the live frogs on display,” he reports. “Our youth are not supposed to be enthusiastic about nature? Nonsense! What’s crucial here is the personal experience.” That’s another reason he’s a convinced participant in Citizen Conservation. “There I can kill two birds with one stone: commitment to species conservation and arouse enthusiasm in others for these endangered animals!”

Mallorcan Midwife Toad

Alytes muletensis

A fossil that unexpectedly resurrected from the dead. A dramatic story from the edge of extinction and the dedicated fight against it.