SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY
It’s almost the weekend and we’ve decided that Thursday would be a surprise! That’s right what’s better than a surprise? Maybe a giant bag of hay, but that’s just us! We’ll be featuring all kinds of animals on Thursdays- including reptiles, mammals, birds, fish, the occasional insect and amphibians! Speaking of amphibians we picked a great one out of the grab bag for today’s animal.
What is an amphibian you ask? Well we shall tell you! Amphibians are a class of animals that include frogs, newts and salamanders. They are very special because they live not just on land but usually spend part of their lives in water too.
These are some of the characteristics that make an amphibian an amphibian:
- Amphibians are cold blooded.
- Amphibians’ life cycle is very different than other animals.
- They start out as eggs and then as use external (outside the body) gills that change into internal (inside the body) ones as they grow.
- They develop their limbs as they grow.
- Their skin has no hair or scales to protect it. They absorb water and air through their skin.
- Here’s an illustration of the life cycle of a frog.
Do you have a favorite amphibian?
Ellie’s favorite is the Green treefrog and Edmond’s is the Chinese giant salamander.
Are you ready to meet today’s animal?
MEET THE GOLIATH FROG!
Habitat/Range: Streams and rainforests in Central Africa- Cameroon/Guinea
Diet: Carnivore: small reptiles, insects and mammals
Size: 4-16”, 6-7.5 lbs
Conservation Status: Vulnerable/Endangered
Fun facts:
- Goliath frogs are the largest frog in the world!
- They have been around for about 250 million years, even before the dinosaurs.
- They are mute- meaning that they don’t make sound.
- They can jump up to 10 ft in one leap.
Man, that is one big and bodacious frog!
The Adventures of Ellie and Edmond 