Have you ever wondered if frogs with fur exist? Frogs are amphibians that live in humid areas such as forests and jungles or areas where they have access to puddles, rivers and streams. Frog skin is usually smooth and free of warts, but not all are the same, so some have hairs.
In this article on our site we explain what frogs with hair are, what they are called and what they are like. Do you know any? How many exist? Without a doubt, they are very curious and peculiar animals that will surprise you. Keep reading!
Do frogs with fur exist?
Fur or villi are not the first things that come to mind when thinking of frogs. In fact, most species have smooth, moist skin, devoid of warts or bumps, unlike the different types of toads, which do tend to have warts.
Frogs vary in color: the body of many species has different shades of green, sepia or brown, ideal to help them camouflage in their ecosystems. However, there are others with bright orange, blue, yellow and green skins, most of them being poisonous. Now, are there any furry frogs? Actually, There is a species of hairy frog, the Trichobatrachus robustus. Find out all about her below!
Characteristics of the hairy frog (Trichobatrachus robustus)
Talking about furry frogs brings us to the hairy frog Trichobatrachus robustus. It is a unique species of its kind It has marked sexual dimorphism, as males measure 11 centimeters and females between 9 and 8 centimeters. In addition, the difference between males and females is noticeable in the presence of hair or villi, since only males have hair
Actually, this type of frog does not have hair, but vascularized skin filaments that grow on the hind legs and on the sides of the body. These filaments only appear during the mating season and allow the male to increase his respiratory capacity, since his lungs are small and, like other amphibians, the hairy frog breathes through his skin. The rest of the body of this species has a sepia or chestnut coloration with some spots.
Where does the furry frog live?
The hairy frog is distributed en Africa, where it lives in countries like Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Gabon and Guinea. It lives in areas between 26 and 1458 meters above sea level.
Like other types of frogs, the hairy frog needs water sources to survive. In Africa it prefers to live in fast-flowing rivers or torrents, even in areas with small waterfalls. It is also possible to find it in forests and in areas with agricultural development, especially tea plantations, thanks to the humidity required for the plants to grow.
Conservation Status of the African Haired Frog
The hairy frog is classified by the IUCN as a species of least concern The number of individuals that exist is unknown, although it is estimated that its population decreases. The reasons for the decrease in the population density of the frog with hair are varied, the following being the most common:
- Water impoverishment: as a result of agriculture, the quality of water in the areas inhabited by the hairy frog is affected, because polluting products reach it.
- Habitat destruction: Agriculture also displaces the hairy frog, since the ecological niches it inhabits are occupied by plantations. In some of them it can survive, but not all of them meet the optimal conditions for it.
- Expansion of human populations: Like agriculture, the growth of cities encroaches on the natural habitat of the hairy frog and many other species.
- Introduction of other species: displacement generates greater competitiveness when it comes to acquiring food, since the hairy frog must face species that are not native to their ecological niche.
- Hunting: The African Haired Frog is hunted by humans, as it is marketed as a gastronomic delicacy or for species trafficking. The tadpoles of the hairy frog are considered a food in Cameroon and is a common treat for children at Christmas.
