Toads ride on each other at Konnaya Lakhta in St Petersburg as mating season begins. Biologist Pavel Glazkov captured these amphibians during their spring rituals. The animals live mostly on land but visit water spots to make babies.
Males start grabbing females when water temperatures reach about 10 degrees. They jump on female backs during trips to ponds and hold tight against rivals. Other males often try to knock off competitors for the female. Sometimes a single female carries several males at once on her back.
Excited males grab almost anything that moves in spring, even floating sticks. Glazkov learned this firsthand when a male toad latched onto his finger during filming at Petrovsky Pond. The scientist struggled to free himself from the determined male toad after taking his photos.
Males start grabbing females when water temperatures reach about 10 degrees. They jump on female backs during trips to ponds and hold tight against rivals. Other males often try to knock off competitors for the female. Sometimes a single female carries several males at once on her back.
Excited males grab almost anything that moves in spring, even floating sticks. Glazkov learned this firsthand when a male toad latched onto his finger during filming at Petrovsky Pond. The scientist struggled to free himself from the determined male toad after taking his photos.
