This holiday season, some Alaskans found “live” ornaments on their Christmas trees—Pacific Chorus frogs that hitchhiked in the trees to Alaska.
Courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Unfortunately, these little stowaways were not warmly received by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. They are considered invasive species as they might carry fungi and viruses that could harm native frog species.
I imagine these frogs would be happier if they were sent home. Pacific Chorus frogs are native to Pacific coastal areas from Baja California up to Washington State. According to Lang Elliott in The Frogs and Toads of North America, its familiar two-part call, rib-bit, is the one most associated with frogs because they have provided the background “music” for so many Hollywood movies and TV shows.
Here’s the call of the Pacific Chorus frog in its native habitat—far from Juneau.
Tags: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Christmas trees, frogs calls, Frogs in Christmas trees, Invasive Species, Pacific Chorus frog
This is not the first time pacific chorus frogs and other amphibians have been found hitch-hiking inside of plants or horticultural supplies. I wonder how often these frogs are moved around within their own native range?
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