Tuesday 7 January 2014

Bicolored Frog - Clinotarsus Curtipes

Once when we returned home from work, we heard a frog croaking at our terrace garden. How the frog came to the terrace is a mystery. May be the water-bodies on the terrace had attracted the frog. We let the frog be, but after a while my in-laws could no longer take the continuous croaking of the frog. I caught it, and then let it wander at our land garden.
 
Remembered this incident when we saw a Bicolored Frog at the coffee estate at Coorg. One can easily miss to observe this frog. It camouflages well with the surroundings - mud and dried leaves. The adult frogs may play dead to escape predators.
 
Another interesting fact that Wikipedia mentions is - "The spot patterns on the backs are often distinctive enough to use for population estimation using capture and recapture techniques. Use of this technique in the Bisale Reserve Forest in Kodagu during January 1999 – July 2001 gave a population density estimate of 0.08–0.1 frogs per square metre." (Kodagu = Coorg)
 
The population of frogs has reduced at Bangalore. During our childhood, we would find so many frogs at our courtyards. We would make holes in piles of sand for the frogs to stay, called it frog house!

Though I've a lot of words, I shared the link of this write-up on Wordless Wednesday! What's wordless is the thought that ebbs in our minds about how to protect the frog population. :)
 
Bicolor frog at Coorg
Regards,
Asha

2 comments:

  1. I saw a similar one in Kabini among dry leaves, very well camouflaged.

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