New Ideas

Some people say that bullfrogs should be killed, because they are endangering the security of other species. Some others don't agree with this ideas, they rather create a  system where there reproduction can be controlled and where all species are protected and respected.

Role of people in the society to control the species

People should be familiarized with the Bull Frog to be able to distinguish it from others and hunt it when they have the chance. The bull frog could help the country to improve its economy if people focus on its comercialization, taking into account that there is a great amount of  Lythobates catebeianus all over the countries of South America, people also can stimulate hunting practices for local consumption.

Strategies developed to control de species:

• The government prohibited the cultivation of this species.

• The government has to actively monitor the expantion of the species, following the advice of experts.

• The experts need to have a fixed space in wetlands and potential areas for observation and data collection.

• Do long-term monitoring and develop ecological studies to determine the effects of the bullfrog.

Role of people in the society to control the species:

References

Inicio SAGARPA. Rana Toro, la proteína del Futuro. Retrieved from http://www.sagarpa.gob.mx/delegaciones/NuevoLeon/boletines/Paginas/B29112012.aspx>

Globedia - Noticias de Colombia hoy. Rana Toro. Retrieved from http://co.globedia.com/rana-toro

AUPEC Agencia Unversitaria de Periodismo Científico y Cultural / Universidad del Valle / Calli, Colombia. Ciencia al Día. Retrieved from http://aupec.univalle.edu.co/informes/diciembre97/boletin56/ranatoro.html

Rana toro. (2011, 05 29). Retrieved from http://co.globedia.com/rana-toro 

Biota Colombiana. Especial Simposio de Especies Invasoras. Volume: 12, Number: 2. 2/07/2011. 

Controvertial Questions

Is it fair to protect other species from death by killing this one? 

If they are well controlled, can they improve Colombia's environment?

Factors that make this species threaten the environments

• They compete for space and food. 

• They tolerate and spread the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, so other species get affected.

• They don't have a predator (they are not tasty for other species). 

• They eat other amphibeans, like frogs.

• They eat insects, fish and rats.

• They are not easily controled because they have a large amount of offspring when they reproduce, they are strong in many climates, and Colombian climate (without seasons) is perfect for them to survive and reproduce.

Pictures

Role

Role of the species on the environment: 

United States: They compete and they often exterminate native species. They are adapted to Humedals, but the seasons in the United states are a way to control them because the environment is not humid and optimus during all the year. 

Colombia: They are aggressive and they often exterminate species (like other anphibians, little mammals, insects, among others) as they did on their native environment (United States). In Colombia, it is harder to control the species because there are no seasons. They threaten the biodiversity of the environments due to their competition for tospace and food. They are very strong, because bigger predators dislike their meat, because it has an ugly flavor for them, so they have optimus conditions to live and reproduce. Colombia is a very favorable place where these frogs can live.

 

Basic Information

The Lithobates castesbeianus is one of the  the most dangerous invasive species on the world. It has many common names like “Rana Toro”, it is gray, brown or green and slimy. They eat insects and little vertebrates like snakes, fish, birds and other frogs. It is a very big frog, measuring from 10cm to 20cm from the mouth to the anus (without including the legs). Its larvae can measure from 15cm to 18cm  of length. It was intruduced to Colombia as an economic activity. Its taxonomic classification is:

Phylum: Chordata.

Subphylum: Vertebrata.

Class: Anphybia.

Subclass: Lissamphibia.

Order: Anura.

Family: Ranidae.

Genus: Lithobates.

Species: Lithobates catesbeianus.

These frogs are perfect to sell as food due to their impressive size, so some people started to commercialize them.It came from the north-west part from the United States. This species has been reported on 13 countries of South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Guyana, Paraguay, Brasil, Argentina and Uruguay).