It’s known that the animal world is full of strange and incredible creatures – for example, this week, 'spaghetti monsters' resembling detached eyeballs appeared on Texas beaches Closer to home, Londoners can now see another very unusual species, the scrotum frog.
Well, clearly that's a nickname, because they are very wrinkled – but being officially named the Lake Titicaca frog can also be quite funny, with the right attitude. scrotum frog.
And they’re not just funny, they’re also huge. ‘Lake Titicaca frogs are a weird looking frog,’ said Dr Ben Tapley, curator of reptiles and amphibians at London Zoo, where visitors can see them up close. ‘With bulging eyes and loose grey skin, they’ve earned themselves the nickname of “scrotum frogs”. These are large frogs that can weigh up to 1kg.’ However, seriously worrying is the fact they are endangered, largely due to
a deadly fungus
that has already wiped out several species, and being consumed in smoothies known as ‘frog juice’, believed to be an aphrodisiac in their native Peru.
The frogs live in Lake Titicaca (Picture: Getty) ‘Unfortunately, these frogs are threatened by the spread of chytrid fungus – a fungus that causes a disease that is devastating amphibian populations worldwide,’ said Dr Tapley. ‘The Zoological Society of London is leading the battle against this disease, in the hope we can protect these unique frogs, and many others.’ Also amusingly named but at risk of extinction is the big-headed turtle, which visitors to the zoo can also see.
‘Big-headed turtles are an EDGE species, which means they’re considered a global priority for conservation because they are evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered. There are no other species like them, but they do need our help in the wild as they are threatened by the trade for meat.
A big-headed turtle’s large head (Picture: Getty)
‘With our partners, the Asian Turtle Program, we have rescued 360 big-headed turtles from the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam and released them into protected areas. The animals at London Zoo are the offspring of turtles who were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Canada.’
Globally, amphibians are the most threatened class of vertebrates – animals like mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. According to
, 40.7% of all species are at risk.
London Zoo, like others around the world, are working hard to protect those we have left, including breeding rare species like the mountain chicken frog. Native to the Caribbean islands of Montserrat and Dominica, their numbers are also dropping due to the deadly chytridiomycosis. The fungus eats away at the animals’ skin which, because it helps them breathe and stay hydrated, can quickly kill them.However, people who go to the zoo's new exhibition called Secret Life Of Reptiles And Amphibians can see the amazing frogs up close, along with other unique animals like large salamanders, the Mangshan pit viper, and Philippine crocodiles.
It's wrinkled.
The fungus eats away at the animals’ skin which, because it helps them breath and stay hydrated, can quickly kill them.
However, visitors to the zoo’s new Secret Life Of Reptiles And Amphibians experience can get a glimpse of the fantastic frogs up close, alongside other special animals including giant salamanders, the Mangshan pit viper and Philippine crocodiles.
Jawsome.
