Common Frog Deaths

neil · Feb 14, 2002

I have found a large number of dead common frogs in the past few days in my garden ponds. They all appeared quite bloated, but I suppose this could have arisen post mortem. UK contributors will recall the cold snap over the New Year, but the frogs were all active after the thaw. Has anyone else experienced this, and any ideas as to the cause?

morg · Feb 14, 2002

I picked up a leaflet last year from a local library done by a frog conservation group who I believe are called frogwatch, or someting like that.
They had been doing research into unusual frog mortality.
In the report I read, it had instances of whole populations of frogs from certain ponds dying suddenly.
At the time they were still trying to find the cause, and wanted anybody witnessing such events to contact them.
I no longer have the address of the people doing the study, but will post again if I can find it.
MORG

edward · Feb 14, 2002

Hi All,
There is a ranavirus that has been introduced into the UK frog populations that may be responsible for the mass mortalities. There is some controversy about how the virus was introduced into the population but there is some consensus that the virus originated in American Bullfrogs.
Ed

morg · Feb 18, 2002

I got it wrong, it was froglife, not frogwatch, and they have a website.
The frog disease section is
www.froglife.fsnet.co.uk/DiseaseF.htm

neil · Feb 22, 2002

There are some gruesome looking dead frogs on that site, but mine didn't show the same red lesions, so may be something different. All the deaths occured in a pond I extended last autumn with a new butyl liner, which at the time smelled quite strongly. I have read that Koi suffer from 'New Pond Syndrome' but assumed this was due to water quality rather than chemicals leaching from the liner.
However there have been no further casualties since my original posting, and frog numbers are increasing, many now in amplexus. The odd newt has also started appearing so perhaps all will be well after all.
Thanks to all who responded.

Neil

grace · Apr 11, 2004

I've always been a Frog lover and was wondering if there are any groups committed to the conversation of our little web footed friends? If you know of any sites linking to this please let me know.
pinkferrets5@aol.com
Thank you!

(Message approved by admin)

edward · Apr 11, 2004

Hi Grace,
there is the Declining Amphibian task Force (DAPTF)(http://www.open.ac.uk/daptf/index.htm),
If you are into poison arrow frogs then I recommend frognet.org's listserve.
I am sure there are others out there but those come to mind right away.
Ed

k. · Apr 12, 2004

I highly recommend http://www.frogs.org/

I also recommend contributing to the conservation of frogs by participating in frogwatchUSA

summer · Jun 9, 2004

hello, this may help a little.
i have found out that the west nile and when frogs or toads eat rocks by mistake they can die.

summer · Jun 9, 2004

sorry the site i had fine about the west nile was fake,sorry
summer

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