Native Oregon Newts Helping in War Against Invasive Bullfrogs
Dear Fellow Earthlings, Recently I have learned that the cute rough skin newts that live on my land in Oregon can actually kill bullfrogs! The way they do it is with tetraditoxin, a poison that they produce with tiny glands on their skin. This poison is very toxic -- and is very similar to the poison produced by the infamous Japanese blowfish. The ravenous bullfrogs swallow the newts whole -- and within 10 minutes succumb to the effects of the tetraditoxin, which paralyzes their muscles -- including their diaphragms and hearts. Unable to breathe, and with their hearts unable to pump blood, the bullfrogs quickly die. The newts then emerge from the frogs' gaping mouths -- opened in death -- and stroll leisurely in the directions of their choice, to resume their normal activities. Similar to how non-native Himalayan blackberry patches in Oregon afford protection for the native Oregon rabbits and quail (that hide underneath blackberry patches) from predation by house cats (an introduced species in Oregon -- and,indeed, in all of the Americas),
rough skinned newts are proving themselves to be effective "anti-invasive species" fighters. They are helping turn the tide in the battle against bullfrogs, an invasive species in Oregon. Two or three years ago I was so worried that bullfrogs were going to wipe out the newts and other native amphibians on my Oregon land. It does my heart good to know that my "sweet little newts" are stepping in and helping me in my defense of the nature on Reltonia!
Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator
The rough skinned newt: cute but toxic!
The North American bullfrog: known for its voracious appetite!
An adult bullfrog outweighs an adult rough skinned newt a hundredfold! In this instance, size does not at all matter!
The North American bullfrog: known for its voracious appetite!
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.