Yellow Coloured Frogs catch eye in Karimganj; “Not dangeours, don’t disturb them” says Forest Officer

Today morning locals of Nayagram, Karimganj were stupified as they saw yellow coloured frogs in the neighbourhood. Assuming them to be an endangered species, the locals collected the frogs and released them at a nearby ditch. Owing to the yellow colour, a section of the locals conjecture the frogs to be poisonous.

Speaking with Barak Bulletin, Samsuddin Laskar, Sadar Range Officer, Karimganj ruled out the possibility of these frogs being venomous. He said, “In India it is found in many places during this season. This species of frog is known as the Bull Frog.”

The range officer added that the common Indian Bull Frog changes to yellow colour for attracting partners during mating season. The frogs shouldn’t be disturbed and should be kept in their own natural habitat only.

The Indian Bull Frog is known by the scientific name Hoplobatrachus tigerinus, and is a large species of frog found in mainland Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal. It has been introduced in Madagascar and India’s Andaman Islands where it is now a widespread invasive species. They prefer freshwater wetlands and aquatic habitats. Generally they avoid coastal and forest areas. They feed on various type of insects, invertebrates, mice, shrews, young frogs, earthworms, roundworms, juvenile snakes, and small birds. It is semiaquatic, and is said, to jump over the surface of the water much in the same way as on land when frightened. The species is classified as Least Concern in the IUCN red list.