They were first introduced here as a farmed species for the delicacy of frog legs. Farmers soon realized that the cannibalistic nature of bullfrogs meant farming them was not economical. Bullfrogs were released into the lower mainland and have since spread to Vancouver Island. They are now invasive and prevalent throughout Vancouver Island. Bullfrogs are a concern due to their ravenous appetites. Bullfrogs have been observed eating the young of many native amphibians and reptiles which are already threatened due to habitat degradation. Bullfrogs can be identified by their large size, a tympanum (exterior ear), lack of ridges that run down their back, and loud call. They can be green to brown and the males have a yellow throat during the breeding season.
If you find bullfrogs, you can report them through the report invasives app. Unfortunately, there is very little we can do at the moment to eliminate the bullfrog population on Vancouver Island. The main objective at the moment is to contain them and track their spread. You can help prevent the spread of Bullfrogs to new areas by not buying, moving, transporting, or breeding bullfrogs. This includes kids keeping them as pets. For more information on Bullfrogs, check out the BC government’s alert sheet. #Dontletitloose
