The Most Wonderful & Biggest Frogs In The World
Giant Banjo Frog
Photo: Bidgee / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0-AUSize: 3.5 Inches
The Giant Banjo Frog is native to Australia where it exists as the largest in Victoria, though it kicks off this list as the smallest "large" frog. They are well known for their powerful legs and ability to burrow. Its habitat is largely restricted to the floodplains of the Murray River, which keep its populations somewhat limited.
Due to their ability to burrow, they spend much of their lives underground, surfacing only to breed when the rains leave suitable moisture on the ground for their eggs and tadpoles to flourish.
Giant Tree Frog
Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SASize: 5.5 Inches
The Giant Tree Frog, otherwise known as the White-Lipped Tree Frog can be found in the coastal areas of Australia through to New Guinea, Indonesia, and many other places making it the most widely distributed tree frog in the region. It is also the largest known Tree Frog on the planet and is known for being loud when distressed. It "mews" like a cat and can emit a loud barking call.
Like other species of frogs, they can live a fairly long period of time in the wild with an average lifespan reaching 10 years. The largest known samples can grow to approximately 5.5" in length with the males coming in just slightly larger than the females.
Giant River Frog
Photo: Bernard DUPONT / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-2.0Size: 6.8 Inches
The Giant River Frog is a species found primarily in Borneo where it lives along the forest floor near streams. they are also found throughout parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. The males of the species grow up to 6.8" in length with the females coming in at roughly 2/3 the size. They are commonly harvested by the locals for food.
At the moment, they are not listed as threatened and are classified as of Least Concern, but habitat loss and their relatively small clutch size suggest that if deforestation continues in their area, their populations will become threatened.
Indian Bullfrog
Photo: YouTubeSize: 6.9 inches
The Indian Bullfrog ranges across Asia with populations existing in Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal. It has become an invasive species in other parts of the world after introduction to Madagascar and the Andaman Islands where it has disrupted the local species and brought chaos. They are primarily nocturnal and prefer freshwater, though they don't remain the water for too long.
They can reach an average length of approximately 6.5" and are commonly used as a food source. Their legs are said to be particularly tasty in numerous dishes, though China has outlawed their export to several countries on the continent.
Smoky Jungle Frog
Photo: Bernard DUPONT / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-2.0Size: 7.1 inches
The Smoky Jungle Frog is otherwise known as the "common bullfrog" in its native Bolivia, Colombia, Equador, French Guiana, Peru, and Brazil. They prefer to live in the tropical moist lowland forests, freshwater marshes, and swamps, but can be found pretty much anywhere freshwater is located in its range. The males can get up to 7.1" which is about .2" larger than females.
These large frogs are nocturnal and spend most of their days in burrows beneath logs or leaf litter. When picked up and held like the one in the picture above, they emit a high-pitched scream.
Surinam horned frog
Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA-2.5Size: 7.9 inches
The Surinam Horned Frog, sometimes called the Amazonian Horned Frog, is a bulky example that can reach up to 7.9" in length. they are found throughout the northern parts of South America and are known for their incredibly wide mouth and horn-like projections found over the eyes. They are relatively aggressive and have been found to subsist on lizards, frogs, and mice.
They are well-known predators who will feed on other frogs if kept in the same enclosure. On their own, they do well in captivity, which is why it is a favorite of the exotic pet trade.
Mountain Chicken Frog
Photo: Yinan Chen / Wikimedia Commons / Public DomainSize: 8.7 inches
The Mountain Chicken or Diant Ditch Frog is a Critically Endangered species of frog native to the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat. These large frogs were listed as Critically Endangered in 2004 when only 8,000 individuals were known. Humans played a large part in their population decline, but a fungal disease called chytridomycosis played its part in destroying most of the population over the years.
The Mountain Chicken Frog gets its name because like so many other critters in this world, it takes like chicken. It was preyed upon by the local island residents due to its (formerly) large numbers and flavorful taste. They can grow up to 8.7" in length and is the largest frog native to the Caribbean.
African Bullfrog
Photo: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0Size: 9 inches
Also known as the Pixie Frog, the African Bullfrog is native to numerous nations throughout the continent including Angola, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and many more. They live primarily in savanna, but can be found in shrubland and freshwater bodies of water including lakes, marshes, and canals.
Males can reach lengths of up to 9" weighing in as much as 4.4 lbs (2 kg), but the females are generally half the size of the males. The species is carnivorous and will eat anything that comes across its path, to include other African Bullfrogs. It is one of only three species of frogs with sharp teeth, which will become aparrent if you try to pick one up. They are well known for biting humans when handled.
Blyth's River Frog
Size: 10.2 inches
Blyth's River Frog, or more commonly known ambiguously as simply the Giant Frog, is a species native to Myanmar across to Western Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and some of the islands of Indonesia. Some individuals have been found to grow up to 10.2", but unlike other frogs, it's the females that grow large for this species. The largest adult males get is approximately 4.9" in length.
Presently, they are listed as Near Threatened and are being impacted significantly thanks to human-caused habitat loss. Additionally, the species has declined due to its use as a food source for both local consumption and international trade.
Goliath Frog
Photo: YouTubeSize: 12.6 inches
Believe it or not, the Goliath Frog is the largest frog species in the world thanks to its rather robust maximum size of 12.6" They come from a relatively small area of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, which is also one of the reasons the species is in decline. The Gloliath Frog may be the largest frog on the planet, but it's habitat is so small, it suffers from habitat loss and has become an Endangered Species.
Interestingly, the Goliath Frog can live for up to 15 years in the wild with some captive individuals making it as long as 21 years. They are regularly preyed upon by local predator species including the Nile Crocodile, but thanks to conservation efforts, the species may have a chance. Their numbers are limited for export to the pet trade and many are sent to zoos for preservation due to their longevity in captivity. Despite this, there are no active captive breeding programs working to reintroduce numers to the wild population as of the end of 2018.
