The hairy frog, aka the Wolverine frog, or horror frog, hails from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Gabon, and potentially in Angola. It’s preferred habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, plantations, arable land, and heavily degraded former forest areas. What makes this frog really unique is not only that it’s hairy, but that it has a secret weapon. This article is on special request from my friend Andrew.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Trichobatrachus robustus
Weight: Up to 5+ ounces
Length: Up to 4+ inches
Lifespan: Up to 15 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) These frogs are terrestrial (spend most or all of their lives on the ground).
2.) This species has small lungs, and the hairlike strands of skin give the male a better ability breathe while mating.
3.) The hairy frog is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
4.) Like all amphibians, the Wolverine frog breathes, in part, through their skin. They also don’t drink standing water, but rather absorb water through their skin.
5.) These frogs prefer to flee when faced with a threat. However, if just the right situation presents itself, they have a secret weapon.
But wait, there’s more on the hairy frog!
6.) If the hairy frog is cornered, they have the ability to break the cartilage connection at the near tip of their toe bones which reveals a sharp bone spur, via muscle contraction, like Wolverine, that can then be used as a weapon.
7.) Prey items consist of insects and arachnids. This food is swallowed whole with the help of their hands and pushed down the throat, in part, by their eyeballs.
Did you know…?
Once the claws are no longer needed, they retract their new claws and the cartilage heals to hold the bone back in place.
8.) This species is cooked and eaten in Cameroon. They are hunted with spears and/or machetes. The Bakossi people believe that these frogs fall from the sky and, when eaten, help couples become fertile.
9.) Hairy frogs are nocturnal (active at night).
10.) It is not known if the spurs stay exposed. But they do heal, in time.
Now a Short Hairy Frog Video!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
What do they do all day?
Sleep, mostly.
Do the African hairy frogs have other cool facts
Only the males have the hair-like protrusions. Contrary to most all other frog species, the males of this species are larger than females. Tadpoles are carnivorous (eat meat) and have numerous horned teeth.
That is very cool
What is their defense
The hairy frog has a special adaptation in its toes that allows it to break its own bones. If this frog feels threatened, it will contract the muscles in its feet, causing the bones to break and push through the skin, forming sharp claws. This has earned them the nickname of the Wolverine frog.
What do they eat
They are insectivores. They eat a variety of invertebrates, like moths, flies, worms, beetles, roaches, and more.
How much babies do they produce
It is estimated that they produce between 150 – 500 eggs each breeding season.
how much hair does it have
The “hair” is actually papillae. These papillae are thought to allow for increased gas exchange during a time when the frog is experiencing increased metabolic activity. The “hairs” grow on their sides and thighs. But aren’t true hairs, aka capillum, like humans and animals have, that are made of keratin. I hope this helps.
this story about the hairy frog is very cool thank you so much
You are very welcome.
What is its lifespan?
Hairy frogs live up to 15 years.
thank you helped with my research for school my class was supposed to right about an animal or two and i chose the African hairy frog, and this helped me with my research so much! thank you!
i did not copy any other comment.
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Thank you this helped with my research
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it helped me on my school report thank you
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