By K. Nepsa
A reader recently asked how frogs and other amphibians are able to survive in arid climates such as deserts. This year’s monsoon season produced many frogs that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Just a little rain brought them out from….well, where exactly do they go when it’s not storming and raining here in the desert?
An amphibian is a cold-blooded vertebrate animal of a class that comprises the frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. They are distinguished by having an aquatic gill-breathing larval stage followed (typically) by a terrestrial lung-breathing adult stage. They need water or a moist environment to survive.
Frogs also need water to reproduce. So how do some species live in areas of the desert with little surface water and scant rainfall? These amphibians’ secret to survival is a mix of incredible adaptations and serious patience.
During dry stretches, desert frogs dig deep and bury themselves in the dampest mud they can find. Some will secrete a layer of mucus around the edges of their burrow. The mucus hardens and protects the moist frog from drying up. Once their burrow is in order, frogs aestivate, falling into a dormant state similar to hibernation.
Desert frogs can wait up to three years for rain. When rain finally falls, they will surface, enjoying a swim in ephemeral rainwater pools and overflowing oases topped with fresh blooms of tasty algae. They quickly eat, mate, and lay their eggs before the water evaporates. Then they return to their underground lairs to wait, again, for rain.
Our natural world can be so incredibly adaptable! Try and enjoy the sounds and sights of them when they do come out and play next wet season. But, remember, do not touch as some of them pack a toxic punch.
FUN FACT: The Sonoran Desert Toad (Incilius alvarius) is the largest native toad in the U.S. It can grow up to 8 inches in length!
References:
http://nationalgeographic/animals/ampbhibians, Amphibian Pictures and Facts
https://www.fws.gov/southeast/podcasts/2011/11/frog-hibernation/, Frog Hibernation
K. Nepsa has a B.S. in Geology and a Master’s in GIS. She has lived in Arizona, HI, CA and Shanghai, China. Her hobbies include enjoying the outdoors via Jeep, Kayak, horse or foot. She has been a Vail resident since 2005.
