Amphibians of the Crocodile River Reserve
Frog populations have been declining worldwide at unprecedented rates, and nearly one-third of the world’s amphibian species are threatened with extinction. Up to 200 species have completely disappeared since 1980, and this is NOT normal: amphibians naturally go extinct at a rate of only about one species every 500 years!!!
Amphibian populations are faced with an array of environmental problems, including pollution, infectious diseases, habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, and over-harvesting for the pet and food trades. Unless we act quickly, amphibian species will continue to disappear, resulting in irreversible consequences to the planet’s ecosystems and to humans.
Frogs eat mosquitoes; provide us with medical advances; serve as food for birds, fish and monkeys; and their tadpoles filter our drinking water.
“Frogs are useful indicators of physical or chemical conditions in an eco-system, not least because their life-cycle bridges both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The presence or absence of frogs at a site, or a sudden change in population size, species diversity or breeding activity, can signal a deterioration in the healthy functioning of an environment.”
Vincent Curruthers & Louis du Preez (Frogs & Frogging in South Africa)
The Crocodile River Reserve is home to a myriad of frogs and toads, with the Giant Bullfrog or Pyxicephalus adspersus, being one of the easiest to spot because of it’s size. It is a red data species that is often seen on roads and road sides after the summer rains.
Remember to share your photo’s of any unusual sightings to our Facebook page.
Frog Species
Frog Species Found In The Area:
Boettgers Caco
Bronze Caco
Bubbling Kassina
Bushveld Rain Frog
Cape River Frog
Clicking Stream Frog
Common Caco
Common Platanna
Common River Frog
Eastern Olive Toad
Giant Bullfrog
Guttural Toad
Natal Sand Frog
Painted Reed Frog
Plain Grass Frog
Raucous Toad
Red Toad
Snoring Puddle Frog
Striped Grass Frog
Striped Stream Frog
Tandy’s Sand Frog
Tremolo Sand Frog