WHO’S that snoring in the garden? In the wetter months of the year, you may hear a strange, snoring-like call coming from your garden. It’s none-other than the Snoring Puddle Frog (Phrynobatrachus natalensis).
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What do they look like? They look a bit like a small toad, with a pointed snout, and wet skin (toads have dry skin).
They’re light brown in colour, with a granular skin. They don’t grow big at all, with adults usually being less than 3cm long.
Some pretty specimens have a light green/pale stripe running down their spine, which can confuse people when identifying this frog.
Are they poisonous? No.
What do they sound like? The name answers that question. However, it’s a quicker and more rapid snoring sound than noisy, sleeping humans. I have had calls where people tell me there’s a snake snoring in their drain.
Trying not to laugh, I have to explain that it is actually a frog, the Snoring Puddle Frog. Snakes don’t snore, just for your information. I enjoy listening to these frogs calling.
Where do they live? Any body of water really, not just puddles. I’ve found them around garden ponds, dams, wetlands, pans, rain-filled pools, roadside puddles, and yes, sometimes around garden drains as well. They’re not too fussy about where they live.
Trying to get close to them to photograph them can be quite tricky. They’re alert, fast-moving frogs that hop away quickly, usually diving into water. You’ll have to be stealthy to get close-up shots of them.
Here are some other articles in the series:
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