Frogtastic Facts

Frogs lay up to 4,000 eggs at one time. The jelly around the eggs helps to keep them warm. The temperature inside a clump of eggs is often much higher than the temperature of the pond water around them.

Frog bones form a growth ring every year when the frog is hibernating. Scientists can count these rings to discover the age of the frog.

* Amphibians must shed their skin as they enlarge in size. The old skin is discarded like a piece of clothing that has become too tight. Usually the shed skin is eaten.

* Frogs absorb water through their skin so they don't need to drink.

* Under the water, a frog's eyes are protected by an extra transparent eye lid called a nictitating membrane.

* Tree frogs have developed disks or adhesive pads on the toes of their feet to help them climb into the tree canopy.

* Frogs have long back legs and webbed feet for jumping and swimming.

Tropical tree frogs glide and parachute from high up in the tree canopy to get closer to temporary water pools on the forest floor during the breeding season by spreading out their limbs and webbed feet. They lay eggs in gelatinous masses on broad-leaved lianas just above the pools. When the tadpoles hatch they drop into the water.

Long jump champions of the frog world belong to the Ranidae family. The bull frog (Rana catesbeiana) make jumps nine times the length of its body; the common frog (Rana temporaria) can jump 12 times the length of its body and the semi-aquatic frog Acris gryllus can jump more than 36 times the length of its body!

* Frogs can live equally well in water or on land.

* A frog can change the colour of its skin depending on its surroundings.

* Frogs range in size from 1cm to 30cm long.

* The eggs of the marsupial frog are laid in a brood pouch on the mothers back and the young hatch out in a zipper like fashion from the pouch.

Frogs use a variety of ways to attract a mate such as courtship calls, body colour and limb movements.

Some frogs can survive in conditions well below freezing. The Grey tree frog for example can survive even though its heart stops. It does this by making its own antifreeze which stops its body from freezing completely.

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