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Ulsan volunteers shepherd baby toads on perilous journey to mountain home

Published: 22 Mar. 2026, 15:08

A small toad is seen on a road near Mount Hwangbang in Ulsan, spotted during volunteer work by local residents in spring 2025 [ULSAN JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

It’s the season of blossoms — and of baby toads, bravely hopping and waddling across Ulsan’s roads with a little help from their human guardians.

Large numbers of toads move across roads near Ulsan’s Mount Hwangbang during their seasonal migration, a pattern that repeats every year and poses significant risks, at least for the toads.

As these small creatures cross the asphalt in time for spring, the local government has launched a coordinated response with volunteers to prevent mass roadkill, according to the Ulsan Jung District Office.

The volunteer group, made up of about 30 Ulsan residents from every walk of life, will operate through June.

Volunteers block toads from entering roads and manually relocate stranded ones to safer areas. Using tools such as dustpans, they collect small toads and safely carry them away from traffic.

The district government has also taken preventive measures. Netted fences have been installed along key migration routes, along with warning banners about roadkill risks.

Small toads are seen on a road near Mount Hwangbang in Ulsan, spotted during volunteer work by local residents in spring 2025 [ULSAN JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

A volunteer picks up a small toad to help prevent roadkill near Mount Hwangbang in Ulsan, during volunteer work by local residents in spring 2025 [ULSAN JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

The life cycle of the Mount Hwangbang toads drives the migration. Each February and March, adult toads descend to the nearby Janghyeon retention basin to lay eggs, with a single female producing around 10,000 eggs.

The tadpoles grow in the basin for 60 to 70 days before becoming juvenile toads measuring about 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches). At that stage, the young toads begin the short but treacherous trek back to the mountain.

The journey is just 300 meters (984 feet), but nearby roads mean even small deviations from the path can be deadly.

Spring weather conditions — especially rain and overcast skies — often trigger mass movement, increasing the risk of toad roadkill.

A volunteer is seen working with equipment to remove toads from roads near Mount Hwangbang in Ulsan in spring 2025 [ULSAN JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

A volunteer is seen working with equipment at a retention basin to help small toads on their way back to Mount Hwangbang in Ulsan in spring 2025 [ULSAN JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

A volunteer picks up a small toad to help prevent roadkill near Mount Hwangbang in Ulsan, during volunteer work by local residents in spring 2025 [ULSAN JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

Authorities have invested in infrastructure to reduce amphibian casualties along the route. In April 2024, the district office spent about 450 million won ($299,000) to install ecological passages and protective fencing along the migration path.

Efforts to protect the toads are tied to their role as an indicator species. Because these toads live both in water and on land, their survival reflects the broader health of the local ecosystem.

“Protecting toads is essentially the same as protecting the environmental assets of the local community,” an Ulsan Jung District official said.

Similar migrations occur in other regions, including Daegu’s Uksugol riverbank and Mangwolji reservoir.

Each year, more than 3,000 toads gather at Mangwolji to breed, and the site has been designated as a natural heritage area requiring preservation.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM YOUN-HO [[email protected]]