Carolina Gopher Frog

Carolina Gopher Frog (Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina)
Gopher frogs derive their common name from the fact that adults commonly use the burrows of the gopher tortoise as hiding places in the Deep South, but in North Carolina (where these tortoises do not occur), gopher frogs hide in stump holes, root tunnels and mammal and crayfish burrows.

Carolina Gopher Frog (North Carolina Woods for Wildlife)
Theses frogs are a medium-sized frog with gray to brownish back with small dark gray to black spots; warty skin texture with distinct folds along the sides of its body.  Its belly is white, cream, or yellowish with dark mottling. Southeastern North Carolina is the northern limit of the gopher frog range.

Carolina Gopher Frog (South Carolina Wildlife Federation)
The Carolina gopher frog has been listed by the State of South Carolina as an endangered species, but studying the frog has been a challenge because of its secretive habits. Another challenge for researchers is the Carolina gopher frog’s declining habitat and its special needs.

Carolina Gopher Frog Conservation (North Carolina Aquariums)
The Carolina gopher frog is a little animal with a big problem. Previously the species, lived in 30 populations across North Carolina; now only six remain. Pressured by destruction of habitat, drought and diseases, the remaining populations face a higher risk of local extinction.

Gopher Frog Release Calling (You Tube video by Coastal Plains Institute)
Hear the mating call of a gopher frog that resembles the sound of a deep, nasally snore.

Gopher Frogs, Burrows and Fire: Interactions in the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem (University of Florida IFAS Extension)
Gopher frog populations face many challenges, and a major threat to the survival of this species is the disruption of natural fire cycles of the Southeastern Coastal Plain that historically maintained the habitat on which this species depends.

Hope for the Carolina Gopher Frog (UNC TV)
Some animals get all the attention (*cough* polar bears), but small brown frogs like the endangered Carolina gopher frog need help too. Find out how the North Carolina Zoo and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are giving frogs a boost.