An NGO has raised concern that the so-called painted frog is still caught without restrictions in various parts Malta, despite being a protected species.

A visit to places like Buskett and Chadwick Lakes on a Sunday showed children and adults catching tadpoles, Nature Trust said in a statement. The NGO called on the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, as the organisation responsible for biodiversity, to erect information and education boards in such places to educate the public about frogs, and explain why it has been protected.

It should also list the fines stipulated by Maltese law against those caught handling tadpoles and frogs without a Mepa licence, the NGO said.

The painted frog is the only amphibian found in Malta. It has a variable colour and is found in localities where there are fresh water pools or streams, even in stagnant pools. The tadpoles spend around eight weeks in water, depending on the weather, and then the adult frog emerges.

The frog feeds on vegetable matter and small insects or animals. It cannot live in captivity.