h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Rare Encounter - A58161765
Author: B'Elana [©] ACE- Minister of Abbr. - Can't say anything but: this site is AWESOME! - U230913

A riddle for you.

What a lovely, whimsical story.

I must admit shamefacedly that I knew what you were talking about from the scientific names.

Cute one, though.

Thank you.

Let's see if others will guess what it was.

Thanks for this Bel. It was truly engaging! I envy your improvement in writing. Have a terrific day!

I knew what it was when you said 'poisonous secretions'.

I haven't seen one in the UK for ages but I've seen them in France. One sat in a corner of the kitchen of our house there for a while until I decided to take it outside.

I don't think they're very vulnerable to predators, because of those poisonous secretions, but they are easily run over and I regret to say that a couple got cut when we mowed the lawn. They lie flat on the earth, rather than hopping away as frogs do, so you don't see them until it's too late.

You're doing well if you can think up whole stories as you do the housework. I usually write my ideas down and turn them round a few times before I start writing.

Thanks elektra and mvp.

I've researched a bit now, and there are natural predators, for instance cats, corvids and birds of prey - all of which are much more plentiful where I live.
I'm still not entirely sure which sort I encountered, it's very hard to tell, but it may have been the one which is on the Red List in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, so I am doubly glad that I had my camera handy.

Environment activists dig tunnels under roads, or put low fences and place basins at the spots where they cross the road, then collect them and bring them to the other side of the road.

Nice one. I knew what it was from the warts.

A long time ago I spent a week camping on a nature reserve (with others) to dig a very large pond for the natterjack variety. It was specially designed to meet their every need with sunny south facing banks, a deep end, a carefully sloped shallow end and all placed so that no roads had to be crossed. Just hope they used it!

Thanks waz.

I've looked at gazillions of photos on the web, and I think *mine* was a common toad and not the very rare (here) natterjack after all. It was tiny, though, so was probably not yet fully grown.