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Goliath Frogs (Conraua goliath)
Physical Characteristics
Head and body length ~ up to 13 inches (33cm) - Length with legs stretched out ~ about 2.7 feet (80cm)
- Weight ~ up to 8 pounds (3Kg)
- On top, the frog is greenish brown, and its underside is yellowish
- The Goliath Frog's second toe is the longest.
- These frogs have acute hearing but no vocal sac, and additionally lack nuptial pads.
- Goliath Frogs are mute ~ they do not make noise
- They can leap 10 feet
Lifespan
- The goliath frog can live up to 15 years.
Food
- Adults are carnivores that eat insects, crustaceans, fish, and amphibians.
- Tadpoles (baby frogs) are herbivores that eat water plants found only near waterfalls and in rapids.
- Some indigenous people eat Goliath Frogs
Reproduction
- Mating season for the Goliath Frog is July and August
- Reproduce sexually
- Several hundred eggs are included in each egg mass, which are attached to plants growing on the bottom of the river
- It takes 85 to 90 days for tadpoles to develop
Goliath Frogs live in fast moving rivers and streams with sandy bottoms - These river systems are located in dense rain forests
- The frogs are found in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, both countries in West Africa.
- Goliath frogs were considered to be a source of food in some parts of west Africa.
- They were also highly exported to zoos and animal dealers to be sold as pets. Unfortunately, these frogs fail to thrive in captivity (and almost never reproduce there).
- Due to their classification as endangered, the Equatorial Guinean government has declared that no more than 300 goliaths may be exported out of the country per year.
- Some are captured and kept as pets.
