Category: Other Wildlife

Alien Frog

Have you seen this frog? He’s wanted! If you see a small frog with a stumpy body and stripes down its side, it could be an Asiatic Painted Frog Kaloula pulchra. The Philippine Center for Terrestrial and Aquatic Research is documenting and mapping the spread of this alien and invasive species.  You can help them by sending a photo with the location (Barangay, Municipality/City, province, island), date, and your name to: pinoynaturalist@gmail.com .

Scientists believe that the frog was accidentally introduced through agricultural and horticultural products. Unbeknownst to gardeners and plant collectors, deep within the soil of their potted plants are hibernating frogs that will wake up and start mooing like a cow once the rainy season starts!

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Non-natives like the Kaloula pulchra compete with the native wildlife for food and habitat. They can also spread diseases to the native wildlife.

The native Kaloula species are: Smooth-Fingered Narrow-Mouthed Frog Kaloula baleata, Trncate-Toed Chorus Frog Kaloula conjuncta, Catanduanes Narrow-Mouthed Frog Kaloula kokacii, Slender-Digit Choruos Frog Kaloula picta, and Luzon Narrow-Mouthed Frog Kaloula rigida.

 

 

 

Mystery of the Scattered Feathers

We were checking out one of the fields when we came across a sad sight. Lots and lots of feathers strewn all over the grass. We were in the field where the owls are often seen and these were owl feathers. There were small, downy feathers on top of clumps of grass. There were a few big feathers. But there was no blood or any owl body parts. Continue reading “Mystery of the Scattered Feathers”