Goliath Frog – The World's Biggest Frog

Most frogs can fit in the palm of your hand, or even on the tip of your finger. But the Goliath frog (Conraua goliath), the world’s largest frog, may grow up to 3 feet long when it is stretched out and can weigh as much as a newborn baby, about 7 lbs (3.2 kg).

A Goliath frog with young friends (from Marginalia.ako.net.nz)

The Goliath frog’s greenish brown color helps to hide it among wet moss-covered rocks in fast-flowing rivers in the dense coastal rainforest of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in western Africa. Unlike most other frogs and toads, Goliath frogs have no vocal sac and so courtship does not involve displaying any calls. They mainly eat crabs, but will also eat insects and smaller frogs. The Goliath frog can live up to 15 years.

Because Goliath frogs live in such a small area of the rainforest, they are highly vulnerable to habitat loss through logging and clearance of forest for agricultural land. The construction of dams threatens the breeding habitat of these frogs. The frogs have been heavily collected for zoos and the pet trade, but Goliath frogs don’t breed or survive well in captivity. Goliaths are also highly prized as delicacy by local people.

The IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) sites Goliath frogs as an endangered species because of a 50% decline in population size in the last three generations.

goliath frog

Goliath frog image from animals.uua.cn

Mbo tribesmen believe the frogs are wizards of sacred waterfalls. The only real hope for these amphibian wizards is the preservation of their rainforest home.

16 thoughts on “Goliath Frog – The World's Biggest Frog

  1. Pingback: Goliath (2008) | All Films Blog

  2. That frog is huge! It is terrible that this amazing frog is being eaten (although I have to admit it looks like it has a lot of meat on it!) Is this frog ever infected by the chytrid fungus? Or is it one of those African frogs which are immune to the fungus?

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  4. Just heard about this frog on QI (a quiz program) looked on line. What an incredible creature, have joined as I feel that its important to do what we can to protect our childrens future, which includes life on our planet

  5. its a privileged that such an incredible creature could come from my country how are this frogs sold as pets under what authority are they not poisonous.

  6. an incredible frog as i will always thank God for giving my country this wonderful priviledge long live lovely golliath

  7. I dont know what to say about these frogs. I dont know if theres any spirtualality connected to them. mabey they bring good luck! I’m sure all life has a purpose and planed by god. please protect these frogs. akward.

  8. in Tanzania we have the biggest frog than THAT.. Wish they could see our MONGULIA (with 4 to 5kg..)

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  10. Goliath Frogs are my favorite largest frogs in the Western African forest on the endangered list of our international wildlife on the Earth. Well, I know about “Save The Frogs!” in Los Angeles, California. Years, ago, I recently read the National Geographic on July 1967 as I was a young teen-ager as it was very, interested to me in a fact. Christa D’Auria

  11. I would like to see these frogs make a come back. My first time seeing them,you can say ive fell in love. I would like to raise one personally.

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