Belizean Kermit’s existential dilema

One of the interesting oddities of nature is undoubtedly the sheep frog’s ability to confuse those in its surroundings into thinking there is a different animal in its surroundings by making an  unusual sound (a sheep like bleat) not particular to its own species (as  croaking is the norm for  its amphibious cousins). So when you are walking through the tropical rainforests of Belize and hear what sounds like a sheep in the middle of the forest watch your step because you do not want to step on this wonderful oddity of nature.

The sheep frogs habitat ranges from low to moderate elevation in ponds, marshes and subterranean burrows under leaf litter from southern Texas in the Atlantic versant and Sinaloa, Mexico all the way through to the Pacific coast of Cost Rica. Their distribution in Belize ranges from Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize, Stann Creek, and Cayo District. It is present in the wetter Toledo District but its presence there has not yet been established.

“The specie seems to be an inhabitant of the semi-evergreen seasonal forest formation and the marginal evergreen broadleaf forest formation in Belize; it appears to prefer the open, edge or disturbed situation within the forest. It is been found as high as 700ft in the country, although elsewhere in Central America it can be found above 3,000ft.

Can be found beneath log rocks day time and at night, particularly during the rainy season, they may venture forth to search for ants, termites and other small insects.” said Naturalist Guide at Chaa Creek, Meshack Eliah.

Photography by Naturalist Guide at Chaa Creek, Mr. Meshack Eliah.

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