VIDEO: The most endangered frogs in B.C.<\/p>\n
Published 8:00 pm Tuesday, August 4, 2026<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the ears.<\/p>\n
Wildlife Preservation Canada (WPC) lead biologist Andrea Gielens was explaining how to tell the difference between a native and an invasive species of frog during a presentation about the endangered Oregon spotted frog at the Campbell Valley Nature House in Langley.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe eardrum is right behind the eye,\u201d Gielens said, pointing to a photo of a spotted frog, which is native to B.C. and a green frog, which is an invader.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s this big circle right here. And if the eardrum is bigger than the eye, they\u2019re an invasive species. They\u2019re not from here naturally. And if the eardrum is smaller than the eye, then they\u2019re a native species.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s most endangered amphibian lives in the Fraser Valley pic.twitter.com\/bOTmaaFe6H<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) August 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Oregon spotted frogs, named after the U.S. state that first identified them, live in the Pacific Northwest, ranging from parts of southwestern British Columbia down through Washington and Oregon.<\/p>\n There are far fewer spotted frogs than there used to be in the Fraser Valley, making them Canada\u2019s most endangered amphibian, Gielens explained.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Fraser Valley is the only place in Canada that has Oregon spotted frogs, and they\u2019re critically endangered here in B.C.,\u201d Gielens told the Langley Advance Time.<\/p>\n \u201cThese guys are shallow, warm water wetland specialists, and those areas are the easiest to drain for us for homes and agriculture and human use.\u201d<\/p>\n Other threats include invasive species like the American bullfrog and green frog, and pollution.<\/p>\n There was just a handful of spotted frog breeding populations left in Canada until WPC, a registered charity that works to save animals at risk of extinction, began a captive breeding for release program to restore the spotted frog population.<\/a><\/p>\n It aims to release 10,000-20,000 tadpoles a year into safe Fraser Valley wetlands over the next five years.<\/p>\n Among its projects, WPC is working to preserve the painted turtle, B.C.\u2019s only remaining native freshwater turtle.<\/p>\n The charity will share information about the local hands-on species recovery effort at the Metro Vancouver Parks meteor shower event in Aldergrove on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Aldergrove Regional Park, 27240 8 Ave.<\/p>\n