The Frog That Invaded Alaska

The Red-Legged Frog (rana aurora) is an invasive species to Alaska. These frogs prefer shallow slow-moving streams and marshes to breed. Alaska certainly has a lot of choices for them. 

Females lay about 750-1300 eggs and they hatch in about a month and spend several months as tadpoles. They become sexually mature in about 3 years and can live up to 13 years. 

These frogs were introduced into Alaska in 1982 in Hoonah--in the Southeast part of the state, by a teacher who released them into the wild. The tadpoles graze on red algae as they grow and this could be potentially detrimental to the food web. It could also cause problems to the current amphibian population if they introduce new diseases. 

Despite all this, the red-legged frogs have been thriving since their introduction and have successfully bred and spread out into nearby wetland areas. 

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