Steinbach Online, written by Darci Wilkinson Wednesday, April 16, 2025
https://steinbachonline.com/articles/learn-about-amphibians-with-nature-norm
Join Nature Norm for an interpretive walk, followed by an indoor presentation all about amphibians in the tall grass prairie.
Norm Gregoire from Shared Legacy says that we have three different types of amphibians found throughout Manitoba.
“We have eight frogs, toads, four of those, and four salamanders as well. So, a total of 16 across Manitoba. Just about all of those are found right in the tall grass prairie. Others are elsewhere in the province, but we’ll learn a little bit about all of them.”
These species play a key role in local ecosystems, helping to control insect populations and providing food for other animals. But what’s the real difference between frogs and toads?
“The first thing would be when you’re looking at them, you’ll probably notice the frog is more smooth looking and their skin is shiny, whereas the toad is more dry looking. So, these are different adaptations on where they will be able to survive on land,” Gregoire says. “Toads are able to go in dryer areas and frogs, generally in more wet areas.”
He adds that amphibians rely on both water and land to survive. While they need aquatic habitats for breeding and raising tadpoles, nearly all adult amphibians in Manitoba depend on terrestrial environments to survive.
“Whether that be for hunting or what it might be. Keeping that in mind, a backyard that gets a little bit of rain on it, that provides a perfect ecosystem. It has shelter, it has food, it has an area to keep away from the heat, but it also has some wet grass after a rainstorm that allows the frogs to survive.”
Gregoire also highlights the incredible adaptations some amphibians have developed to live in Manitoba’s harsh climate.
“The wood frog and a few of the other frogs in our area, they’ll actually freeze rock solid in the winter under just maybe even a few leaves. Sometimes they stay completely exposed. They have sort of like an antifreeze in their in their bloodstream that freezes them completely solid. If you were outside in minus 20 degree weather and found a wood frog and brought it into your house, it would sort of reanimate right in front of you. It’s quite interesting to watch that.”
He says that amphibians have many unique adaptations, but one particularly memorable example is the defence mechanism salamanders use when they’re under attack.
“Let’s say from a bird, a blue jay is going to pick up a salamander, they actually have the ability to lose their tail, drop their tail completely off from their body and the tail will kind of wriggle around, almost like a worm, and the bird will be distracted and start eating that tail, while this salamander without a tail gets away and they’re actually able to regenerate and regrow that tail and they can actually do that with partially lost organs as well.”
Unfortunately, some of these species face serious challenges including the eastern tiger salamander and the northern leopard frog.
“These species are in need of a little help to continue healthy population,” Gregoire says. “Their skin that can suck up all sorts of pollution and chemicals, that’s something that can be really harsh on them. They’re susceptible to certain types of fungal infections as well. So, they do have a lot working against them.”
He adds that those with yards should think about the herbicides and pesticides they use.
“These sort of things you’re using can make a big difference on some of the species, not just amphibians, but insects and all sorts of things. Whenever you’re working with those kind of chemicals, it’s always a good idea to maybe think about the others that you are sharing your yard with as well.”
He also says that while it can be fun for children to catch and admire these amphibians, to be mindful of what is on our hands.
“Hand sanitizer, sunscreen, things like that can actually be really detrimental to those frogs. So, when we’re just trying to get a better look at them, we’re kind of feeding that curiosity as a kid, catching frogs, I think we’ve all done it, but we have to ask ourselves and ask our kids the question, do we really need to catch that frog? Maybe it’s better off just watching it from a little bit of a distance.”
He continues, “If you do have to pick them up, again, then it’s best to wet your hands with water so your skin is not too dry as well. All these little steps you can take to make a bit of a difference for these neighbours that we share our backyard with sometimes.”
Join Nature Norm on April 26 at The Weston Family Tall Grass Prairie Interpretive Centre at 10 AM to learn more about amphibians.
The event is free, and he reminds attendees to bring rubber boots.
To register or for more information, contact Gregoire at 204-408-6166 or email info@sharedlegacymb.ca.