Oregon Spotted Frog
Rana prestiosa
WILD STATUS
Endangered
WILD POPULATION
Canada: 108 adults resulting in 54 breeding pairs
US: approximately 1000 adults
DISTRIBUTION
The Spotted Frog's range has shrunk to 3 colonies in British Columbia, 4 in Washington and 24 in Oregon. This species once ranged from the SW corner of British Columbia to California. There are no frog colonies remaining in California and the colonies in Washington and Oregon are very small. It is considered globally imperiled.
SIZE
4cm to 10 cm in length from snout to rump
HABITAT
Live in flood plain wetlands associated with permanent water bodies and prefer the warm, shallow edge of marshes to lay their eggs. They also use temporary ponds like the ones created from spring rains. The frogs prefer ponds that are exposed to sunlight that will keep the water warm.
REPRODUCTION
Frogs live 5 to 6 years and do not start reproduction until they are 2 or 3 years old.
DIET
Adult frogs eat mostly invertebrates such as beetles, flies, spiders and water striders. They are 'sit and wait' predators, remaining motionless in the water or on the shoreline, until something wanders by that looks tasty.
Tadpoles are grazers, eating algae, decaying plant mater and detritrus.
In our captive breeding program the tadpoles are fed cooked pureed kale. The froglets dine on small pinhead crickets until they are released.
INTERESTING TIDBITS
- Medium size frog with black spots, that have a lighter centre located on their head and back.
- Adult frogs are green, brown or reddish brown. Juvenile froglets are brown or olive.
- Two dorsolateral folds which are usually lighter in colour appear as stripes along the back.
- The eyes are set in such a manner that it looks like the frog is looking right at you.
- When on land the frogs crouch close to the ground rather than sitting up straight like most red-legged frogs.
- Tadpoles begin to change into froglets in July and by August over 95% have morphed into frogs.
- The frogs are sensitive to nitrates which are common by-products of fertilizers. Water that would be considered safe for human consumption is not safe for these little frogs.
- Their habitat loss is due to agriculture and housing development, particularly in the lower mainland where extensive areas of marshy wetlands have been developed.
- Frog larvae and eggs are food sources for insects; but once the tadpoles form their greatest enemy is the bull frog. The bull frogs feed on the spotted frog at all stages of its life. There is an infestation of bull frogs in the lower mainland. Bull frogs are not indigenous to this area and are often released by people into the wild when they are no longer wanted as pets.
- Prior to releasing the frogs from our recovery program, they are caught, counted, measured, weighed and injected with a tag just under the skin. The tag identifies the frog and helps with the ongoing research of this species.
- The species name prestiosa means precious in Latin.
ANIMAL FACT SHEET
To download the information from this page and receive a full page photo of the Oregon Spotted Frog click here for a PDF
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