Common toad resting on a leaf SPAIN COMEDIC images show how these amorous critters are so TOAD-ALLY in love they?ll grapple each other to mate for hou
Common toad resting on a leaf SPAIN COMEDIC images show how these amorous critters are so TOAD-ALLY in love they?ll grapple each other to mate for hours and even indulge in group sex. These images show the toad?s mating process, where the male toad grabs or hugs the female from behind to fertilise her eggs. Sadly, from some rarer pictures, the pale colour of the female toad?s skin and the blue around her eyes indicate that one of the females is dead and has been for a while. This mating ritual is called amplexus, where one or several male toads (four or more) try to grasp the same female with their front paws to copulate. But, during this process, the female, although much larger in size than the males, is usually grappled by the males, so she is not able to move. This can sometimes result in the female dying of asphyxiation because she is unable to come to the surface for air. This rarely documented phenomenon of a male continuing to grapple and possibly attempting to mate with a dead female was captured by 52-year-old Spanish photographer Juan Jesus Gonzalez Ahumada. He took these images in Málaga, Spain, using a Canon EOS 6D camera and EF70-200mm lens from a distance of six feet. ?The most unique thing about the image is that it shows unusual behaviour, very rarely seen or photographed,? he said. ?It is such a dramatic scene to see the male hugging his inert female, with that difference in colour between the two - an intense orange eye of life and another pale blue of death. ?When I captured these images, I was surprised and yet happy to have been able to witness and immortalise these moments. ?These amphibians are fascinating to me. They have an exciting life cycle and adapt very well to the demands of the environment. ?Keeping in mind that the periods of drought in southern Europe last for months and these animals survive well in the heat and water ENDS
Size: 5288px × 3525px
Photo credit: © Media Drum World / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: animal, copulation, female, male, mating, photgraphy, spain, toad, toads, wild, wildlife
