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. 

April brings new life to the tall-grass prairie. This is most obviously observed by witnessing the budding of trees and the arrival of migrating birds. This is also the time when winter’s dormant creatures start to make it known that they are out and about. With a ribbit, ribbit, croak, croak, amphibians are announcing they are awake and active! There are sixteen different amphibians that can be found in Manitoba, including eight frogs, four toads, and four salamanders; many of them live in the tall-grass prairie.

Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrates who start their lives as an egg, followed by an aquatic, gill-breathing larval stage and finally growing into (usually) a terrestrial, lung-breathing adult. Another unique characteristic is that amphibians can breathe through their skin.

At this time of year, the first calls we hear are usually from spring peepers, wood frogs, and boreal chorus frogs. These boisterous calls are mostly used to attract a mate. After mating, hundreds to thousands of eggs are laid depending on the species. This is always done in water on vegetation or debris. The eggs will hatch within a few days, and the larval/juvenile stage takes a few weeks to a few months to grow into an adult. Some salamanders occasionally take years to fully develop into a mature adult, and some will not grow past the larval stage but still gain the ability to mate. This is known as neoteny.

Not that we want to be thinking about winter already, but amphibians have some amazing adaptations to get them through the freezing temperatures. Wood, spring peeper, boreal chorus, and (Cope’s) gray tree frogs survive by allowing themselves to freeze over winter. Their internal organs and metabolic activity slow down almost completely. The wood frog is especially known for their winter survival strategy of creating their own antifreeze, which keeps dehydration from completely happening on a cellular level. When warmer weather arrives, the frogs will thaw out as if nothing had happened. Toads will dig deep into the ground and rely on that cover as insulation to wait out the winter, whereas salamanders rely on holes dug by other animals or natural structure to hide where frost can’t reach. Mudpuppies are a unique Manitoban amphibian due to the adult keeping its gills all its life and never leaving the water. Even in the winter, mudpuppies are active.

Globally, amphibian biodiversity is in decline. The specifics of this decline vary from species to species; however, habitat loss or degradation is usually a key factor. As previously mentioned, amphibians rely on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats at varying stages of their life cycle. This need for both habitats increases the number of threats caused by an unhealthy, fragmented ecosystem. Amphibians permeable skin means they are especially affected by pollution and chemical contact. The emergence of chytridiomycosis (a fungal disease) is of major concern to amphibians, mainly in the southern hemisphere. Although some of these threats seem distant, the tall-grass prairie is home to two amphibian species at risk: the eastern tiger salamander and the northern leopard frog.

Adventures with Nature Norm

Amphibians are a unique family of animals, and we are fortunate to have a great diversity of them in the tall-grass prairie. If you are interested in learning more about these amazing creatures, please join the next Adventures with Nature Norm on April 26th, 10am-12pm, at the Weston Family Tall Grass Prairie Interpretive Centre for an interpretive walk followed by an indoor presentation. For more information, please contact Norm at info@sharedlegacymb.ca.

Eastern Tiger Salamander

This program has been sponsored by Southern Health-Sante Sud Public Health, Healthy Living and Healthy Together Now funding.