Teac her Resourc e Pac kage

. Department of Environment and Natural Resources South East Natural Resources Management Board

For more information please contact the Environmental Education Coordinator

Department for Environment and Heritage PO Box 1046

11 Helen Street MOUNT GAMBIER SA 5290 Telephone: (08) 8735 1145

Fax: (08) 8735 1135

Updated Jul 2010

Acknowledgement - Picture of frog from Riparian Zone education Kit Department of Environment and Natural Resources 1995

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Contents Welc ome to the South East Waterwa tc h p rogram - Froggy Futures c lassroom session. This teac her resourc e pac kage has been put together to assist your c lass in lea rning about frogs in the loc a l environment. It c onta ins lots of interesting information, extra ac tivities for your c lass to c omp lete and some crazy froggy facts that will keep you fascinated with the frog world.

1. What is an Amphibian? Discover the features of amphibians and the differences between frogs and toads.

2. Life cycles Learn about the life cycle of a frog.

3. Why are frogs important? Learn why frogs are considered important in the environment.

4. Frog Habitat Find out where frogs like to live and what are the threats to their habitat.

5. Threats to native frogs Describes the major threats to native frog populations in Australia.

6. Frog Feet Take a closer look at the different features of frog feet.

7. Local frog species Learn about the frogs that live in the South East.

8. Amphibian Authors I have included a list of some additional frog resources you may be interested in borrowing from the South East Waterwatch program.

9. Further Learning Opportunities Some fun activities for follow up learning after a visit from your Waterwatch Officer.

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1. What is an Amphibian?

Frogs a re known as Amphib ians. The word amphib ian c omes from the Greek word amphib ious whic h means doub le life. Frogs a re anima ls tha t have a doub le life and this is reflec ted by the way frogs live pa rt of their life in wa ter and part out of wa ter. In its juvenile stage, a frog lives in water and b rea ths through gills. When they grow into an adult they live on land and breathe with lungs. Amphib ians a re c old -b looded verteb ra te anima ls tha t a re dependent on water for breeding.

Are Toads and Frogs the same?

Many peop le have asked wha t a re the d ifferenc es between toads and frogs and whether they a re the same. Well, toads a re ac tua lly frogs. Here is some information on the differences between the two:

Frogs

Frogs belong to the family Ranidae, whic h c onta ins over 400 spec ies throughout the world. General characteristics of frogs are:

Smooth, slimy skin

Legs that are designed for jumping

Webbed feet

Bulging eyes

Toads

Toads belong to the family Bufonidae, which contains over 300 species. Toads are generally characterised by:

Rough, warty skin

Stocky bodies that are designed more for walking rather than jumping

Contains poison glands

These c harac teristic s c an sometimes be inc orrec t as you may c ome ac ross a warty frog or a toad tha t has bulg ing eyes. The ma in d ifferenc e between frogs and toads is in their skeleta l make-up . Toads have only rec ently been found to contain a hardened breastplate in their chest while this is missing in frogs.

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2. Life Cycle

Most frogs b reed a ll year round in a reas where ra infa ll is c onsistent. However, some frogs suc h as burrowing frogs b reed ing is triggered by wa ter soaking through the soil down to the level the frog has burrowed to. This ind ic a tes to the frog tha t tadpoles have enough wa ter to survive until they a re ready to undergo metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the p roc ess where there is a change in body from larvae to adult.

Frogs a re dependent on wa ter for b reed ing and beg inning their life c yc le. Below is a diagram of a typical frog life cycle.

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3. Why are frogs important?

Frogs a re a ma jor ind ic a tor of the hea lth of our environment and a re ever inc reasing ly important in the betterment of our hea lth. Frogs a re c onsidered important for a number of reasons; 1). Bec ause they a re the first to be a ffec ted by wa terway degrada tion and

pollution, 2). For pharmaceutical purposes, 3). For control of insect pests.

Here is some information about why frogs a re c onsidered important in our local environment.

Bio-indicators of the environment

Bec ause frogs a re the first anima ls to be a ffec ted by pollution and hab ita t destruc tion they a re important to sc ientists and environmenta l managers for understand ing the hea lth of the environment. Frogs b rea the through their skin whic h means any pollution on anything the frog touc hes will be absorbed by the frog or tadpole through their skin. If a frog or a tadpole does b rea the in pollution it will either d ie or show visua l deformities suc h as missing legs or having extra legs or toes. If you do happen to find a deformed frog it may be evidence that the area is polluted.

Pharmaceutical benefits

Properties of frog skin secretions are currently a major area of pharmaceutical researc h. Sc ientists have d isc overed tha t these sec retions c an be used as an insec t repellent and as a sunsc reen, in sutc hering c uts and wounds in humans and as an ingredient of antibiotics to treat golden staph and other diseases.

Pest control

Frogs a re very sensitive to herb ic ides, pestic ides and insec tic ides tha t a re c ommonly app lied to ga rdens and c rops. Frogs in your ga rden will assist in c ontrolling many pest spec ies. Let the frogs do the work not c hemic a ls. Frogs a re na tura l p reda tors and therefore don t have any harmful future effec ts on humans and other wildlife living in your garden.

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A healthy waterway showing evidence of native vegetation remaining along the banks, providing plenty of habitat for

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4. Frog Habitat

Hab ita t means the p lac e where something c an feed , shelter and b reed . A suitab le frog hab ita t requires hea lthy wa ter and p lants in loc a tions suc h as rivers, creeks, ponds and wetlands.

Frogs a re known for their sensitivity to pollution so it is no wonder tha t hab ita t destruc tion and wa ter qua lity a re the ma jor threa ts to frog popula tions a ll over the world . This means tha t frogs c an be used as b io-Indic a tors bec ause they give us an indication of the health of the local environment.

Humans c an damage frog hab ita t so it is important tha t we know how we damage the hab ita t to ensure tha t we avoid undertaking these potentia lly damaging processes in the future.

Here are some ways humans can affect frog habitat.

Clearing Native Vegetation

A la rge amount of na tive vegeta tion has been c lea red over the past 200 years to make way for fa rming and grazing p rac tic es. This has resulted in many of our na tura l wa ter systems bec oming degraded . Clea ring na tive vegeta tion a long wa terways results in a loss of hab ita t for na tive fauna , stream bank erosion, inc reased turb id ity and wa ter tempera ture whic h subsequently results in a lga l g rowth and inc reased run off from surround ing land . It is important tha t any rema ining na tive hab ita t a long wa terways is p reserved so tha t na tive fauna suc h as frogs can survive in these areas.

Pollution

Pollution c an be anything from litter and sewerage, to fertilisers and detergents we use a round the house. These pollution sourc es c an eventua lly end up in our wa terways through storm water d ra ins. Polluted wa ter whic h makes it way to wa terways c an effec t the development of frog eggs and tadpoles. Frog eggs a re only c overed by a naked shell whic h does not p rotec t the embryo from the surround ing pollution in the wa ter. This c an result in the dea th of the egg or tadpole, or in the development of abnormalities in adult frogs.

A degraded waterway where native vegetation has been cleared.

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The Mosquito Fish is an introduced fish that eats tadpoles and frogs eggs.

5. Threats to native frogs

Dramatic popula tion dec lines in some South Austra lian frog spec ies have been rec orded sinc e the 1980 s. Human ac tivities as well as invasive p lants and animals and habitat fragmentation have huge impacts on native frog populations.

Frogs genera lly spend part of their life c yc le in wa ter and bec ause of their moist skin a re very sensitive to herb ic ides, pestic ides and fertilisers. Frogs b rea the through their skin whic h means anything they touc h whic h may have pollution on it can have adverse effects on them.

There are 3 main threats to native frog populations; habitat fragmentation, introduc ed p lants and anima ls and use of c hemic a ls on land ad jac ent to waterways.

Habitat fragmentation and degradation

Hab ita t fragmenta tion and degrada tion is possib ly the grea test threa t to na tive frog popula tions. A frog s hab ita t is the environment in whic h it feeds, shelters and b reeds, so if a frog c annot find a suitable habitat it will not survive.

Human ac tivities c an damage frog hab ita t and c ontribute to hab ita t degrada tion through c lea ring la rge a reas of na tive vegeta tion for housing and

agric ulture, d ra ining of wetlands to make way for c a ttle grazing , c ollec ting roc ks and logs for their ga rden from na tive sc rub , burning a reas of bushland and destroying a reas of wild life c orridors whic h c onnec t frog habitats.

Introduced plants and animals

Introduced species such as domestic cats and dogs, cane toad and mosquito fish all have an impact on native frog populations.

Mosquito fish or gambusia is now wide sp read ac ross Austra lia and is known to eat native frog eggs and tadpoles. Other introduc ed fish suc h as c a rp , gold fish and trout a re a lso bec oming quite widespread and will a lso ea t tadpoles and frog eggs.

An unfenced waterway has damaging impacts on frog habitat and survival.

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Like the introduced fish, the cane toad is another animal having huge impacts on native frog populations. Cane toads are found along the east coast and northern Australia. They have no natural enemies and therefore pose a risk to native frogs. Cane toads secrete a toxin from their skin, which is poisonous to frogs and other animals, and can even kill humans. Cane toads will eat anything including native frogs.

Domestic cats and dogs also pose a threat as theyare natural hunters and will prey upon native animals including frogs.

6.

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6. Frog Feet

Frogs live in a range of environments; a long wa terways, in the soil, on trees under ba rk and roc ks. Frogs tha t live a long wa terways have d ifferent feet to frogs that live in trees.

Here are the different shaped feet that different species of frogs have.

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7. Frogs of the South East

Southern Bell Frog (Litoria raniformis) The Southern Bell Frog is Nationa lly Vulnerab le as its numbers have signific antly dec reased over the last 30 years. It is the la rgest frog in the SE, has c olouful skin pa tterns and a loud barking c a ll fo llowed by a series of loud grunts. This frog spec ia lises in feed ing on other frogs.

Eastern Banjo Frog* (Limnodynastes dumerili) The Banjo frog has a well rec ognised c a ll Bonk . This frog likes to burrow in the loamy soil

and emerges a fter ra in to feed and b reed . The females c an lay up to 4000 eggs in a la rge foam nest.

Brown Striped Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes peroni) This frog has beautiful b rown markings often with a pa le mid-dorsa l stripe. Only found in the South East they hide under roc ks, lea f litter or in burrows during the day. Its mating c a ll sounds like pok .

Peron s Tree Frog

(Litoria peroni) Has only rec ently been found in the South East in some Red Gum swamps. Mostly grey or b rown with small pa le greenish spots. The pup il is in the form of a c ross. By day hides under loose bark on Gum trees next to water. Mating call is a long series of explosive notes.

Photographs: Steve Walker & *Allan Cotton. Text Adapted from: Frogs from the South East of South Australia Poster Steve Walker.

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Frogs of the South East

Painted Burrowing Frog

(Neobatrachus pictus)

Pictus means pa inted . This p lump burrowing frog has no site p referenc e as it c an be found in wood land , ma llee, open and d isturbed a reas. This pa inted frog has bulging eyes and a long music a l mating c a ll trrilllll .

Sudell s Frog

(Neobatrachus sudelli) Simila r to the Pa inted Frog it c an be d istinguished by the pa tterns on its bac k. The pa tterns a re mostly olive or pa le green on a b rown bac kground . It is a c ommon frog and c an be seen in la rge numbers c rossing roads a t night a fter ra in. Sudell s Frog has a short trill as a mating c a ll.

Spotted Grass Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) The Spotted Grass Frog is the most c ommon frog in Austra lia . It has olive, green or b rown spots on a pa le bac kground , whic h may c hange over the c ourse of the day. Breed ing ma les have a dark yellow/ green throa t and his c a ll sounds like a short sing le c lic k .

Brown Tree Frog (Litoria ewing) The Brown Tree Frog c an a lso be green! This frog is slender with a b road head and rounded snout. The thighs a re orange and may have b lac k spots. Likes to inhab it permanent streams or pools. It has a loud d istinc tive c a ll tha t sounds like weep-eep-eep .

Photographs & text: by Steve Walker adapted from: Frogs from the South East of South Australia Poster.

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Frogs of the South East

Smooth Frog

(Geocrinia laevis) In South Austra lia the Smooth Frog is only found in the South East. It has short limbs and smooth skin. Found in Eucalyptus and Pine forests. This frog does not b reed in water, instead it lays la rge unp igmented eggs in loose, elongated masses a ttac hed to moist vegeta tion. Its c a ll c onsists of a number of pulses c ra -a -a -a -a -a -c k ..c ra -a -a -c k .c ra -a -ac k .

Southern Toadlet (Pseudophryne semimarmorata) Also restric ted to the South East found a long a line from Kingston to Narac oorte. It has b rilliant red , yellow or orange a reas under the limbs and body. Found in Eucalyptus forests sub jec t to flood ing. The toad lets c a ll is a harsh, short and slowly repeated c re-e-ek .

Bibron s Toadlet (Pseudophryne bibroni) Numbers of this Toad let have dec lined . Dwells in damp a reas under roc ks and logs, c an be found with severa l others. This frog c an have a warty bac k and has a short gra ting c a ll a rk .

Common Froglet (Crinia signifera) This frog let is the most c ommon frog found in South Austra lia and the smallest in the South East. It has highly va riab le skin c olour and texture. His mating c a ll is a rap id ly repeated c ric k c ric k c ric k .

Photographs & text: by Steve Walker adapted from: Frogs from the South East of South Australia Poster.

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MIX N MATCH FROGS OF THE SOUTH EAST

Can you match the frog with their description box and write the name under the frog?

I have pa inted skin and like to burrow into the soil. My call is a long high pitch trrilll .

I also like to burrow and can lay up to 4000 eggs. My mate calls me by booming Bonk .

I have a warty back and my numbers have declined. My call sounds like a rk .

I am Nationally Vulnerable and the largest frog in the South East. I like to eat other frogs!

My skin is smooth and I have short limbs. I don t breed in water.

My name describes me as brown but I can be green. I am slender and my call is weep-eep-eep .

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8. Amphibian Authors

The following resourc es a re ava ilab le for loan (some for purc hase) from Waterwatch South East 8735 1145.

Books

Robinson, M. (2000). A Field Guide to Frogs of Austra lia . From Port Augusta to Fraser Island including Tasmania. Reed New Holland, Australia.

Swan, G. (2001). Green Guide. Frogs of Austra lia . New Holland Pub lishers, Australia.

Tyler, M., J. (1996). Frogs as Pets. A Guide to Keep ing the Austra lian Tree Frog. Graphic Print Group, Australia.

CD s

Frog Ca lls of South East South Austra lia and identific a tion information. Available for loan and purchase.

Websites

www.frogs.org.au www.epa.sa.gov/frogcensus www.froggyville.com/games World Wide Fund for Nature. www.frogs.wwf.org.au

All about frogs. www.allaboutfrogs.org

Frog Focus. www.asxfrogfocus.com

Kiddy House. www.kiddyhouse.com/themes/frogs

Videos

The Tyler Tapes. Narra ted by Professor Mike Tyler, South Austra lia s frog guru. Join Professor Tyler as he takes you on a journey a round the world to d isc over the history, the mystery, the myths and the medicine of frogs and toads.

9.

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9. Further Learning Opportunities

Would you like to have some more fun lea rning about frogs? Here a re some fun activities that will help you learn about native frogs of the South East.

The Frog Call Game Learn how d iffic ult it is for a frog living in the wild . Have the c lass sp lit into 2 groups, one group a re the ma le frogs and the other a re the fema le frogs. The male and female frogs from the same species must find each other!

Contact your Regional Coordinator book the frog calling cards on 8735 1145.

Frog Conservation - Discussion Using Fac t Sheet 1 have a c lass d isc ussion on frog c onserva tion a t your school.

Create your own frog Make a c lass mura l, pa inting or model to show the d ifferent types of frogs found in the South East and where they like to live near a waterway.

Frog Lifecycle As a group or ind ividua ls re-c onstruc t a typ ic a l life c yc le of a frog . You c ould d raw a d iagram, p resent a role p lay as a sma ll g roup , p repare a mura l or a model or write a research report.

The Tyler Tapes

Frogs from around the world under threat

Join Professor Mike Tyler as he takes you on a journey a round the world to experienc e the history, the mystery, the myths and the med ic ine of frogs and toads.

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FACT SHEET #1

FROG CONSERVATION What can you do to help?

Frogs belong to a group of animals known as Amphibians. Amphibians are cold blooded vertebrate animals that live both on land and in water. In recent years frog populations have been declining around the world for reasons which are unknown by scientist.

By remembering some simp le things you too c an help p rotec t our p rec ious frog populations. Frogs are an important animal as they are bio-indicators. This means they a re ab le to tell us the hea lth of the surround ing environment. Bec ause frogs b rea the through their skin any pollution a round them c an have serious effects on their health including illness, birth defects and even death.

Frog Conservation Tips

Here are some useful tips that you can use to help protect frog populations.

Do not remove tadpoles from ponds or wetlands.**

Do not remove fa llen b ranc hes, roc ks or logs from wetland a reas or garden ponds.

Do not throw un-used c hemic a ls down the d ra in as these may end up in our natural waterways harming our native frogs.

Reduc e the use of herb ic ides, pestic ides and insec tic ides on your ga rden or c rop as these c hemic a ls a re poisonous to frogs. Frogs a re often more effective at removing garden pests.

Participate in the annual Frog Census in September each year to help frog scientists understand the distribution of native frogs in South Australia.

If you live on a fa rm and have wetland a reas fenc e these a reas off to p revent stoc k from ga ining ac c ess to these a reas. You may a lso like to revegetate the area if it is badly degraded.

** If you wish to observe the development of tadpoles in the c lass room make sure tha t onc e they have developed into frogs tha t they a re returned to the loc a tion you c aught them from and never mix tadpoles from d ifferent sites in the same tank. Visit www.frogs.org.au and download the care sheets to learn how to care for your tadpoles.

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ACTIVITY SHEET

Frog Life Cycle Frogs belong to the group of anima ls known as amphib ians. An amphib ian is an anima l tha t has a doub le life. This is rep resented in frogs need ing wa ter to survive in its juvenile s stage and the adult frog living on land .

Comp lete the d iagram on the following page labeling eac h stage in a frog s life c yc le and p rovide an exp lana tion of eac h life c yc le stage of a frog . You can even colour it in.

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