Non Native Amphibians - North American Bullfrog

North American Bullfrogs have been reported from an area around South West Essex. In 2001 two adult bullfrogs were found in West Horndon (female in garden pond) and at Belhus Woods Country Park (a female in dipping pond).

5 years later a thriving colony of over 100 frogs was found at a golf course near West Horndon. We cannot reveal the exact location due to the sensitivities of the land owners and the control programme which has been running over the last three years.

2006 100+ frogs removed 2007 15 to 20 frogs removed 2008 details to be confirmed but far fewer animals have been found at the original site

TQ68This is the general area of where bullfrogs have been seen.

Other sites have proved positive for North American Bullfrogs and we are trying to locate any further sites where the frogs may have established themselves. The North American Bullfrog is a very large frog over 20inches in length and it is often heard as a low mooing sound much like a cow or bull.

People reported these frogs after lots of the animals were seen and heard calling in the heat of the summer in 2006. All the animals collected are taken to the London Zoological Society for testing for Chrytrid fungus and other dieseases.

This area of Essex has also recently seen the expansion of the Lake frog or marsh frog which was liberated around South Ockendon. The spread of the Marsh Frog has been extensive from South Ockendon right the way down to Rainham Marshes and up to fishing lakes near the A127.

This makes finding Bullfrog a little tricky as the Marsh frog is also larger than our common frog and it is also noisy. However the call of the Marsh Frog is described as a laugh or a quacking sound. Its latin name literally means the laughing frog - Rana ridibunda or Pelophylax ridibundus

If you have heard these frogs around Essex please do inform the EARG on essex_arg@hotmail.com

An adult frog is also on display at a nearby river park and people can go and see the frog with prior arrangement - please do get in contact

Regards

Jon Cranfield