Frog though diminishing, varieties still found in region’s waterways
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Program Code: 0909346140506010 | 1-Terrestrial frog/Fejervarya limnocharis | 2-Terrestrial frog/Fejervarya limnocharis | 3- Gold-striped pond frog/Pelophylax plancyi | 4- Ornate pygmy frog tadpole /Microhyla ornata
WALK on the wild side
In a metropolis like Shanghai, people get used to hurrying about in a world of concrete buildings, living a modern life of hustle and bustle, seemingly far removed from nature. In this column, Shanghai Daily works with experts and volunteers from the Shanghai Wildlife Conservation Management Station to help you discover the natural world within the city renowned for its high-rises and fast-growing urban character. Listen for the croak of wild frogs, trace the firefly in the urban jungle, watch the migration of birds that you cannot name. Push the boundaries of your imagination and rock on the wild side of Shanghai.
When going for an outing in the summer breeze, one may pay some extra attention to discover the little frogs whispering around in the region’s creeks and ponds.
The amphibian with protruding eyes, powerful posterior limps and no tail varies in color from camouflaged brown to green and grey, some with vivid and bright colored patterns warning potential predators of their toxicity.
Frogs live in or near water. One of the common species that can be found in Shanghai is the gold-striped pond frog, or green pond frog that belongs to the ranidae family (true frogs).
The medium-sized frog has green skin and two gold lines on its back, thus its Chinese name is “the gold line frog.”
“Frogs live in fresh water, places like the inland lakes and rivers as well as small and natural ponds. They can be found in parks in the city and lakes in the suburban villages,” said Yuan Xiao, deputy director of the Shanghai Wildlife Conservation Management Station. “The chance of seeing them in the day is smaller than in the evening.”
During daytime, frogs occasionally stick their heads above the water to breathe. The gold-striped pond frogs can be hard to spot, as they are only 55 mm to 67 mm (2.2 inches to 2.6 inches) in length, and are quite still.
Many Chinese people have the impression that frogs grew up from black tadpoles living in the water after watching the famous animation “Baby Tadpoles Look for Their Mother.” But the bigger black tadpoles are actually the larval stage of toads. The frog tadpoles are lighter in color and smaller.
The Shanghai Botanical Garden is not just a place for visiting plants and enjoying the flowery smell. There are many ponds in the garden, big and small scattered across the park. Underneath the water lilies or the bushes lives a population of wild frogs.
“The common species of frogs that can be found here include field frog (also Asian grass frog or Indian cricket frog), black-spotted frog, gold-striped pond frog and ornate pygmy frog,” said Xiu Meiling, deputy chief of the business planning department at the botanical garden.
All the frogs are wild, said Xiu, although some are disappearing. In recent years, seven species of frogs have been observed in Shanghai, compared with 14 in the past. Many, like Gunther’s frog and the spot-legged treefrog, have disappeared due to changes in their natural habitat and surrounding environment.
Egg-laying preferences differ
Different species have various preferences when they lay eggs. The black-spotted frog and gold-striped pond frog prefer shallow pond water and paddy fields, avoiding deep and flowing water; the field frog can lay eggs in swales and ponds, and the tiger frog chooses calm and clean water.
The tadpoles may seem cute and vulnerable, but some are aggressive. Tiger frog tadpoles eat small fish, aquatic insects and mollusks.
Frogs also eat their own kind, as bigger tadpoles and frogs will swallow the smaller ones to feed themselves. This is the reason people should not release bullfrogs into the wild, since they are much larger than most species and can easily wipe them out. Frogs are crucial in eliminating insects without any pollution to the environment. A frog eats over 70 insects daily, adding up to more than 10,000 a year.
“They are guardians of the crops and good friends of the farmers,” said Yuan.
Frogs are also an indicator species for the health of the environment, especially water quality.
“Frogs are very sensitive to the water quality, and the number of frogs reflect whether the water quality is good or bad,” Yuan said.
Frogs live both on land and in water, and their skin needs to be moist all the time since they breathe through the skin.
The conservation station has been observing and protecting frogs in the Shanghai region, aiming to reduce the number of wild frogs that are hunted and eaten, through law enforcement and control.
“We also try to release some artificially bred frogs into the wild. Due to changes in the natural environment and pollution, the number of frogs has decreased over the years,” Yuan said.
They usually breed local species and release them in August and September.
Overall the situation is getting better, but there are still some people cooking and eating frogs, Yuan said.
When observing frogs in their natural habitat, one should not try to catch and disturb them.
“It’s important to be cautious about your own safety, since you are most likely standing by the water,” Yuan said. “Another thing is to pay attention to the surrounding environment and see if there’s pollution, because the accelerated industrialized process has made the suitable habitats less and less.”
Facts you may not know
1. In recent years, seven species of frogs have been observed in Shanghai, compared with 14 in the past.
2. Frogs also eat their own kind, as bigger tadpoles and frogs will swallow the smaller ones to feed themselves. This is the reason people should not release bullfrogs into the wild, since they are much larger than most species and can easily wipe them out.
3. Frogs live both on land and in water, and their skin needs to be moist all the time since they breathe through the skin.
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