Invasive: Bullfrogs are naturally found in the eastern United States in Canada ranging as far north as Canada, and as far west as New Mexico where they colonized some eastern tributaries. Common in aqua-scaping, fishing bait, the pet trade and for commercial farming for frog's legs, have all contributed to the bullfrog's spread to much of the world. Where they have been introduced, bullfrogs feed on and outcompete native frog species, such as the Oregon spotted frog in British Columbia. They also feed on birds, insects, turtles, small mammals and fish, many of which are considered to be Species at Risk in their respective country and state. Bullfrogs have also shown an immunity to, and act as carriers of chytrid (Chytridiomycosis), a fungal pathogen that effects amphibians and has already caused the extinctions of several frog species. American bullfrogs have become introduced to the west coast of the United States and Canada along with much of South America and the Caribbean,
South East Asia, China, Japan, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Belgium |
Sources:
Anthony, Leslie. "Bullfrogs Threaten B.C. Ecosystem." Canadian Geographic, 1 Apr. 2013, www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/bullfrogs-threaten-bc-ecosystems. Accessed 15 Nov. 2021. "California's Invaders: American Bullfrog." California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2021, wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Species/Bullfrog. Accessed 15 Nov. 2021. Powell, Robert, et al. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 4th ed., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2016, pp. 152-53. "Rana Catesbeiana." Amphibia Web, University of California, 2021, amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Rana&where-species=catesbeiana&account=amphibiaweb. Accessed 15 Nov. 2021. |