[an error occurred while processing this directive] B.C. Frogwatch Program – Environment – Province of British Columbia [an error occurred while processing this directive]

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Ministry of Environment

Frequently Asked Questions

Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa)
I found some eggs in my backyard pond. What kind are they?
Amphibians lay a variety of egg mass types, including round masses that range from the size of a grape to a grapefruit and strings of eggs. Use the identification keys under Who’s Who to help you identify the species.
I thought male frogs called during the spring breeding season to attract females. Why do I hear them calling in the fall sometimes as well?
e.g., Pacific Chorus Frogs on the coast do this – we think they are responding to the day to night light ratio – at a certain time in the fall the number of daylight hours is similar to that during the spring breeding season
Why do I see so many tadpoles at a pond near my house in the summer, but so few frogs any other time?
The breeding strategy of most aquatic-breeding amphibians is to lay thousands of eggs to counter the high predation pressure these larvae experience as they develop. This ensures that at least a few will survive to reach reproductive age (e.g., less than 10% survive to breed).
I found a dead frog near my house. What do I do with it?
Amphibian Disease is a concern for many amphibian species. Please contact us if you find dead amphibians.
I built a pond in my yard and want to put frogs in it. Where can I get them?
Moving animals around can be very problematic. As well, our native amphibians spend only part of the year in water, so the surrounding terrestrial habitat must be suitable for them to survive. All wildlife in B.C. are protected under the Wildlife Act and it is illegal to move amphibians around. It is also illegal to introduce non-native species (e.g., from a pet store). To avoid problems, we recommend letting amphibians find your pond naturally. If the surrounding habitat is suitable, they will colonize your pond on their own.
I found a big frog in my backyard pond and I’m worried that it’s a Bullfrog. Can I kill it?
All wildlife in B.C. are protected under the Wildlife Act and it is illegal to capture, move, harm, or kill them. Visit the Bullfrog Project website for information and identification tips. Also, the Who’s Who and Resources and References links contain a list of excellent field guides and other useful information.
I submitted data to Frogwatch but I don’t see it on the mapping site. Was it lost?
We are in the process of entering all of the sighting data. We hope to have all of the data points on the site as soon as possible.
I would like to be a Frogwatcher but I don’t know anything about frogs or how to monitor for them. How do I get started?
To get started as a Frogwatcher, we suggest reading through Frogwatching and getting an amphibian identification field guide as suggested in Resources and References. The Who’s Who in B.C. link will tell you which species occur in your area. Once you are familiar with the species you can start submitting observations (Report a Sighting). If you’d like to begin more long-term monitoring at a favourite site, contact us and we’ll help get you started.

Photo © Kelly McAllister. No reproduction or distribution without permission.