Description
A green or brown frog with large, light-edged spots. Leopard
Frogs also have prominent light-coloured dorsolateral
ridges and a white belly. They can grow to over 10 cm body length but
this is quite rare. Adults are usually 5-8 cm.
Call
The male's call is a low snore followed by several low grunts
and does not carry very far. Sometimes it sounds like a finger rubbed on
a wet balloon. It is similar to the call of the Pickerel Frog but more
complex.
Confusing Species
In eastern Canada the Leopard Frog is most similar to the Pickerel
Frog. The Pickerel Frog has more squarish spots, a yellow belly and
is always brown. In western Canada there are no other large frogs with
large spots.
Distribution
The Leopard Frog is found in every province and territory with
the exception of the Yukon. It is found in only southeastern British Columbia
and the southern portions of the Northwest Territories. Leopard Frogs occur
across most of central and eastern Canada. They are native to Labrador,
and are introduced on the island of Newfoundland. They are also found through
much of the northern United States.
Habitat
Leopard Frogs occupy a wide range of habitats from prairie to
woodland to tundra. They are often found a considerable distance from open
water.
Reproduction
Breeding occurs in mid-late spring in relatively permanent ponds
without fish. Egg masses are attached to submerged vegetation. A female
can lay up to 7000 eggs although half this number is more typical. The
eggs are approximately 1.5 mm in diameter and hatch in one to three weeks
depending upon the temperature. Tadpoles transform in mid to late summer.
Natural history
The Northern Leopard Frog is part of a large complex of closely
related species that range across all of North America. Only the Northern
Leopard Frog is found in Canada. Leopard Frogs eat a wide variety of prey,
but mainly insects, spiders and other small invertebrates. They are eaten
by snakes, turtles, herons and raccoons, to name but a few predators. Winters
are spent on the bottom of waterbodies that do not freeze solid. In many
areas Leopard Frogs hibernate in different ponds from where they breed.
It takes a Leopard Frog approximately two years to reach maturity. In captivity,
they have lived for up to nine years although individuals in the wild would
likely only live to age three or four.
Conservation Concerns
In western Canada Leopard Frogs have dramatically declined over
the last few decades. They virtually disappeared from Manitoba in the late
1970s and large declines have also been reported from Alberta. There is
some evidence that they have also declined in northern Ontario. Populations
appear to have stabilized and in some instances increased. Although the
cause of the decline has not been confirmed possible causes are long-term
drought and habitat loss.
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