Frogs can be found on every continent in the world except Antarctica. However, the highest concentration of frogs is found in warmer tropical climes. On Vancouver Island, you can find bronze, bull, northern red-legged, chorus, and the western toad. Frogs are known as indicator species and can tell us how healthy an ecosystem is.
Bronze Frog
The Bronze Frog, (a subspecies of the northern green frog) is becoming quite common in the Pacific Northwest, but on Vancouver Island, it is invasive and should be considered a serious threat to our indigenous frog species that are indigenous. It is a small to medium size that can reach up to 10 cm in length. They get their name from the coloration of their skin, they are a bronze colour. Read More….
Bullfrog
The giant bullfrog is showing up all over the Pacific Northwest, and they just may be spreading a deadly disease to other native species. The Bullfrog itself is unaffected by this disease. They are usually green to grayish brown with brown spots, they have easily identifiable circular eardrums like the bronze frog, these are located just behind the eyes on either side of their heads. Read More….
Green Tree Frog
The green tree frog is found throughout the Pacific Northwest. They are quite common, we are forever finding them in our houseplants that are near open windows. Sometimes you will hear them in the house for several days before you finally find and move them back outdoors. They are very beautiful creatures to look at and so very tiny. Like little gems. Read More….
Northern Red-Legged Frog
This frog is slim with long, thin back legs, they have prominent folds running from behind their eyes down the sides of the back. They have a dark face with a light upper lip stripe running back to the shoulder. The most recognizable feature of these frogs is the red colouring of the underside of their hind legs. They are reddish-brown. They are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. Read More….
Pacific Chorus Frog
The Pacific Chorus frog is a very common sight in the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. They are small, up to 6 cm long, and are pale gray or tan to bronze or bright emerald green in colour. These frogs have a dark stripe that runs from the nostrils through the eye down as far as the shoulder. They are often marked with dark patches or stripes on the back and a light cream-coloured belly. Read More….
Western Toad
These toads are poisonous. They have an enlarged gland behind each eye that secretes a white poison that can cause the mouth and throat to swell along with nausea, irregular heartbeat, and sometimes even death. These small toads can pose a big danger to pets like cats and dogs. People should always wash their hands after handling any toad. Read More….
The majority of amphibians complete the first part of their life cycle in the water and then move onto land as adults. Vancouver Island supports two species of native frogs and the Western Toad. A further two species, the Bullfrog and Bronze Frogs are introduced and now pose a serious threat to our native frogs.
They are amphibians. Most that live on Vancouver Island are born in water as tadpoles and gradually change into frogs, although some frogs, known as direct developers, are born as fully developed. This allows them to be born and live far away from water, such as on mountaintops. A frog mainly lives on insects and small animals like earthworms, minnows, and spiders. Frogs don’t need to drink the way we do, they simply absorb water through their permeable skin!
Vancouver Islands’ tiniest frogs are smaller than a penny, but did you know that the world’s largest frog can grow to be longer than 30 cm and weigh more than 3 kilos? According to the WAF, there are more than 8,698 existing species of amphibians worldwide, of which 7,699 are species of frogs. There are about 90 species of amphibians in North America. Unfortunately, around 120 amphibian species, including frogs, toads, and salamanders, have disappeared from the planet since the early 80s.
Found this little guy in a rudbeckia leaf at Whistler this weekend. Do you know what kind it is?
Thanks for this info. Just what I was searching for.
(I’m a volunteer for a wildlife park in Burnham on Sea, Somerset, UK. (42 acres.)
My 2 daughters are now living on Vancouver Island and I was keen to see just what frogs & toads live over in ‘your neck of the woods’.
You may be interested to know that our UK Pool Frog is, with good eco projects,
making a comeback to our ponds. A fussy frog – the pond and surround must be just to their taste.
UK frogs …. Common, Marsh, Pool.
UK toads ….Common, Natterjack (runs rather than leaping).