African Bullfrog

Conservation status:  IUCN – LC (Least concern).

Geographic range: Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Physical description: These frogs can grow up to 23 centimetres in length and can weigh up to 1 kilogram. Males can grow much bigger than females and have purplish yellow necks. Females are light brown with pale necks and the young are much more colourful than adult individuals. These species are adapted to dig holes with their large fingers and one of their more exceptional features their solid skeleton with a heavy skull and large predator teeth.

Biology: These frogs are only active during the very short rainy period. The rest of the year they spend underground and most of their life functions are slowed down, so they can hibernate for more than a year. When the rainy season starts, half of their body is still underground and they merely wait for their prey to cross their paths. 

Lifespan: 16 years.

Food habits: Various spineless animals, other frogs, reptiles, caviar. Cannibalism has been detected, especially when frogs are young.