African Goliath Frogs — The World’s Largest Frogs
The Goliath frog (Conraua goliath), also called the Giant Slippery Frog, is the largest living frog on Earth. These amphibians live along fast-flowing rivers and streams in the rainforests of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.
Adult Goliath frogs can weigh 6–8 pounds (2.7–3.6 kg) — about as much as a newborn baby — and grow to 13–16 inches (33–40 cm) long. They have long, muscular hind legs, shorter stout front legs, and fully webbed feet. Their eyes can reach 2.5 cm across.
The frogs are endangered due to overhunting for the bushmeat trade and export as exotic pets. Habitat loss from deforestation is also a major threat. Despite their giant size, Goliath frog tadpoles are no bigger than those of other frogs — they experience most of their rapid growth in the first 75–90 days of life.
The World’s Smallest Frog
On the other end of the size spectrum is the Paedophryne amauensis, a tiny frog from Papua New Guinea. It is about the size of a housefly — less than 8 mm long — and once held the record as the world’s smallest known vertebrate. Before its discovery, the title belonged to the Brazilian gold frog and the Cuban Monte Iberia Eleuth, both under 1 cm long.
The World’s Smallest Chameleon
Madagascar is home to the Brookesia micra, the smallest chameleon on Earth. Adults measure under an inch (about 29 mm) from nose to tail and can perch on the head of a matchstick. They inhabit Madagascar’s remote Tsingy de Bemaraha forest, a unique razor-sharp limestone landscape that shelters rare lemurs and birds.
Why Frogs Croak — An African Folktale
Long ago, the animals arranged a wrestling match between Frog and Elephant. At the signal, both rushed forward — but Elephant stumbled and fell on his back. Frog leaped through Elephant’s legs, pinned him down, and won the match. Ever since, frogs croak to celebrate their ancestor’s clever victory.
