365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Invasive Bullfrog
Day 278: I would not have thought I had it in me to dislike a frog, but Rana catesbeiana (American Bullfrog) has given me reason to re-evaluate my position. No doubt about it, this invasive species is impacting our native frog population as well as populations of other amphibians. In fact, they have even been reported to eat birds. They are wary and fast, active and predacious both day and night, sometimes coming onto shore to hunt. Aside from out-competing native species, this exotic may also be a vector (host) for diseases which affect native amphibs. The good news is that they are primarily a lowland species. This large specimen was observed outside Eatonville. To the best of my knowledge, they have not been reported inside the Park.
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