Guest guest Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 Exploding Toads Puzzle German Scientists Source > http://news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20050427/ap_on_sc/germany_exploding_\ toads Wed Apr 27, 5:55 PM ET BERLIN - More than 1,000 toads have puffed up and exploded in a Hamburg pond in recent weeks, and scientists still have no explanation for what's causing the combustion, an official said Wednesday. Both the pond's water and body parts of the toads have been tested, but scientists have been unable to find a bacteria or virus that would cause the toads to swell up and pop, said Janne Kloepper, of the Hamburg-based Institute for Hygiene and the Environment. " It's absolutely strange, " she said. " We have a really unique story here in Hamburg. This phenomenon really doesn't seem to have appeared anywhere before. " The toads at a pond in the upscale neighborhood of Altona have been blowing up since the beginning of the month, filling up like balloons until their stomachs suddenly burst. " It looks like a scene from a science-fiction movie, " Werner Schmolnik, the head of a local environment group, told the Hamburger Abendblatt daily. " The bloated animals suffer for several minutes before they finally die. " Biologists have come up with several theories, but Kloepper said that most have been ruled out. The pond's water quality is no better or worse than other bodies of water in Hamburg, the toads did not appear to have a disease, and a laboratory in Berlin has ruled out the possibility that it is a fungus that made its way from South America, she said. She said that tests will continue. In the meantime, city residents have been warned to stay away from the pond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 Poor toads! I wonder if it is some chemical in the greenery around the pond (toads don't stay in ponds all the time) that is stopping their kidneys and livers from working. With severe liver disease you get abdominal odeama - gallons of water collecting in the abdomen, which has to be drained off. Jo , Rick Stevens <ecology1st2004> wrote: > Exploding Toads Puzzle German Scientists > > Source > > http://news./news? tmpl=story & u=/ap/20050427/ap_on_sc/germany_exploding_toads > > Wed Apr 27, 5:55 PM ET > > BERLIN - More than 1,000 toads have puffed up and > exploded in a Hamburg pond in recent weeks, and > scientists still have no explanation for what's > causing the combustion, an official said Wednesday. > > Both the pond's water and body parts of the toads have > been tested, but scientists have been unable to find a > bacteria or virus that would cause the toads to swell > up and pop, said Janne Kloepper, of the Hamburg-based > Institute for Hygiene and the Environment. > > " It's absolutely strange, " she said. " We have a really > unique story here in Hamburg. This phenomenon really > doesn't seem to have appeared anywhere before. " > > The toads at a pond in the upscale neighborhood of > Altona have been blowing up since the beginning of the > month, filling up like balloons until their stomachs > suddenly burst. > > " It looks like a scene from a science-fiction movie, " > Werner Schmolnik, the head of a local environment > group, told the Hamburger Abendblatt daily. " The > bloated animals suffer for several minutes before they > finally die. " > > Biologists have come up with several theories, but > Kloepper said that most have been ruled out. > > The pond's water quality is no better or worse than > other bodies of water in Hamburg, the toads did not > appear to have a disease, and a laboratory in Berlin > has ruled out the possibility that it is a fungus that > made its way from South America, she said. > > She said that tests will continue. In the meantime, > city residents have been warned to stay away from the > pond. > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 an off the wall theory is it still mating season fer toads over on the continent? are these female toads??? as a wee fraggle..i saw several bloated frogs in the early spring..obviously females..over agressive males( i figured) had damaged their internal bladders and such they couldn't dive and just paddled weakly across the surface.... could also i suppose be some chemical in the water...there are how many millions of chemical compounds out there???nd the pond (toads don't stay in ponds all the time) that is stopping their kidneys and livers from working. With severe liver disease you get abdominal odeama - gallons of water collecting in the abdomen, which has to be drained off. Jo , Rick Stevens <ecology1st2004> wrote:> Exploding Toads Puzzle German Scientists> > Source >> http://news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20050427/ap_on_sc/germany_exploding_toads> > Wed Apr 27, 5:55 PM ET> > BERLIN - More than 1,000 toads have puffed up and> exploded in a Hamburg pond in recent weeks, and> scientists still have no explanation for what's> causing the combustion, an official said Wednesday.> > Both the pond's water and body parts of the toads have> been tested, but scientists have been unable to find a> bacteria or virus that would cause the toads to swell> up and pop, said Janne Kloepper, of the Hamburg-based> Institute for Hygiene and the Environment.> > "It's absolutely strange," she said. "We have a really> unique story here in Hamburg. This phenomenon really> doesn't seem to have appeared anywhere before."> > The toads at a pond in the upscale neighborhood of> Altona have been blowing up since the beginning of the> month, filling up like balloons until their stomachs> suddenly burst.> > "It looks like a scene from a science-fiction movie,"> Werner Schmolnik, the head of a local environment> group, told the Hamburger Abendblatt daily. "The> bloated animals suffer for several minutes before they> finally die."> > Biologists have come up with several theories, but> Kloepper said that most have been ruled out.> > The pond's water quality is no better or worse than> other bodies of water in Hamburg, the toads did not> appear to have a disease, and a laboratory in Berlin> has ruled out the possibility that it is a fungus that> made its way from South America, she said.> > She said that tests will continue. In the meantime,> city residents have been warned to stay away from the> pond.> > > > > > > To send an email to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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