The species have been imported to Germany in large numbers for the garden pond trade. The first record from Central Europe is from the Bruch von Gravenbruch nature reserve (50°03'20" N; 8°44'20" E) in 1990, during a fauna and flora inventory of the nature reserve (unpubl. data). In 2002, a regional ornithological society, Hessische Gesellschaft für Ornithologie und Naturschutz (HGON), again investigated the fauna of this area and additional specimens were recorded in large numbers. During a survey for amphibians using small amphibian traps, 43 specimens were caught ranging from 55 to 200 mm standard length (L S); this size range included adults and juveniles, suggesting that a successfully reproducing population had been established (Ref. 53468).