Giant bullfrog

Introduction: The Bullfrog or Giant Pyxie (Pyxicephalus adspersus adspersus) is the largest frog in Namibia. They prefer a habitat of open grass or bush country at both low and high altitudes. When the Bullfrog is disturbed it will blow itself up and attack with open jaws, giving a nasty bite. Bullfrogs are heavily built amphibians with a wide head and strong jaw bones. Their call is similar to cattle lowing and large numbers will call day or night, collectively.

Their short and powerful legs are equipped with a 'shovel feature' on each heel for digging. They have the ability to burrow into the ground using a backward, shuffling movement. The Ovambo people are known to eat and treat the bullfrog as a great delicacy.

Distribution: Etosha National Park and throughout the country less for the Namib Desert and the southern regions of the country.

Diet: Omnivorous. You name it, if it moves it will eat it! Rats, reptiles, small birds, insects, scorpions, crabs, snails and even other frogs.

Colouring: Varied from green to olive to brown, with darker spots or markings with occasional back stripes, skin folds.

Breeding: Large numbers collect in shallow pools to breed starting with the first spring rains until midsummer. Mating pairs crawl about laying eggs in spurts. Three to four thousand eggs are laid in shallow water. They are black at one pole and dirty white at the other, encased in jelly capsules 4mm long. Tadpoles and juveniles have been found in the stomachs of adults and baby bullfrogs have been known to eat each other.

Maximum size: 245mm.