Askbud Home Animals Lakes & Rivers Island Shores Plants Tourism
Amphibians And Reptiles
Frogs Salamanders Snakes Turtles
Return To Animals
Vancouver Island has a large population of Amphibians and Reptiles.
Although snakes are not amphibians, I have included them here as well.
Frogs, toads, salamanders and newts are all amphibians. These animals rely on outside temperatures to keep their
bodies warm, moving from the sun to the shady areas to adjust body temperature.
Most amphibians lay their eggs "protected by a green jelly like substance" in water. After hatching, the young go through a larval stage with gills and swim with fins, before becoming adults.
Although most species have lungs, they also breathe through their moist skin and the lining of their mouths. Amphibians do not drink water but simple absorb it through their skin.
Amphibians are a part of the amazing variety of life around us. They are a good way to measure how we are doing as keepers of the earth. They are very sensitive to changes, especially changes brought about by pollution.
The health of our amphibians is a gauge on the health of the ecosystems of Vancouver Island.
The amphibians of Vancouver Island hibernate in winter. With the coming warmth of spring, they emerge and migrate to their traditional breeding ponds.
The males of frog species call to attract mates in a lively chorus, while voiceless salamanders find mates by smell. Mating and egg laying take place in the water, where eggs and larvae are left to face life alone.
The eggs of amphibians develop rapidly and hatch into larvae. Frog and toad larvae are referred to as tadpoles, they are good swimmers and feed on aquatic plants. Salamander larvae eat insects, they quickly develop legs so that they can walk on the bottom of the pond. Over several weeks the larvae transform into air-breathing, land-dwelling animals.
Adult toads, newts and frogs are most active in the spring and summer on Vancouver Island and feed on insects and other small creatures. Salamanders are nocturnal, hiding under logs and leaf litter, coming out at night to feed. With the onset of freezing temperatures in the late fall, amphibians retreat to their hibernating areas.
Return To Animals
