About 40% of amphibians – a group that includes frogs, salamanders and caecilians – are at a heightened risk of extinction.
The mountain chicken frog is among them. Since 2002 their wild population has plummeted, leaving the species teetering on the brink of extinction.
Hunting, invasive species and habitat destruction may all have contributed to the mountain chickens decline, but it was the spread of an amphibian-killing fungus that sent the species spiralling towards extinction.
It’s not clear what will happen to these critically endangered frogs, but environmentalists are hopeful that there may be a way to save the mountain chicken.
The mountain chicken (Leptodactylus fallax) is a fascinating and unique animal that many people are unfamiliar with. Despite its name, the mountain chicken is actually a frog, not a bird! This large frog is found only on the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat. In this article, we’ll take a close look at what exactly a mountain chicken is and what makes it so special.
An Overview of the Mountain Chicken
As mentioned, the mountain chicken is a type of frog, specifically in the genus Leptodactylus of the frog family Leptodactylidae. It is one of the largest frogs in the world, growing up to 9 inches long and weighing over 2 pounds. Its coloration is variable, ranging from brown to orange-yellow.
The name “mountain chicken” comes from the frog’s meaty legs which are eaten by locals. The frog was once a major food source on Dominica and Montserrat, leading to its chicken-like moniker.
Sadly, the mountain chicken is critically endangered. The number of these animals has dropped by more than 80% since the 1990s because of hunting, habitat loss, natural disasters, and disease. Conservation efforts are underway to save the remaining wild populations.
Key Facts and Characteristics
Here are some key facts about the biology and behavior of the mountain chicken:
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This frog lives on land and comes out at night. It waits for its prey to be still for a long time before attacking quickly.
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Its diet consists of insects, spiders, crabs, lizards, snakes, and even bats and small mammals.
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Mountain chickens create foam nests in underground burrows for breeding. The female lays up to 25,000 eggs and feeds the hatched tadpoles with unfertilized eggs.
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Males make a distinct “whooping” call to attract females during the breeding season.
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They can live up to 12 years in the wild.
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The females are bigger than the males, and their thumbs don’t have black spurs on them.
Habitat and Distribution
The mountain chicken is native to only two Caribbean islands:
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Dominica It once inhabited the entire island but is now restricted to the western side It is found in forests, plantations, ravines, and palm groves near streams.
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Montserrat: The population here has been decimated by volcanic eruptions. Only a few individuals remain in the Centre Hills region.
The frog used to live on other Lesser Antillean islands, such as Guadeloupe and St. Kitts and Nevis. It used to live in these places, but now it only lives on Dominica and Montserrat.
Major Threats Facing the Species
The mountain chicken has experienced catastrophic declines over the past few decades due to a combination of major threats:
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Hunting: Historically hunted as food, current bans exist but illegal poaching continues. As a large, loud, slow-moving frog, it is easily targeted.
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Habitat loss: Agricultural development, human settlement expansion, pollution, and volcanic eruptions have destroyed habitat.
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Invasive predators: Non-native animals like pigs, dogs, and cats prey on the frogs.
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Disease: The chytrid fungal disease has decimated populations since the 2000s. It spread rapidly and can kill frogs in just days.
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Natural disasters: Hurricanes and volcanic eruptions have severely damaged habitats.
Conservation Efforts Underway
Given the precarious state of the remaining mountain chicken populations, intensive conservation efforts are needed. Some current initiatives include:
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Captive breeding programs in zoos, with frogs reintroduced to the wild in Montserrat.
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Monitoring wild populations and controlling disease outbreaks.
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Habitat protection and restoration.
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Raising public awareness and enforcing hunting bans.
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Research on biology and disease mitigation.
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Creating protected reserves free of predators and development.
Why the Mountain Chicken Matters
The mountain chicken represents a one-of-a-kind frog species with unique adaptations found nowhere else in the world. Losing this animal would represent an enormous blow to biodiversity.
Frogs are also critical components of tropical ecosystems and excellent indicators of environmental health. Saving the mountain chicken is important for maintaining functioning island habitats.
This fascinating frog has an essential role to play in Caribbean nature and culture. Ongoing conservation efforts aimed at protecting the remaining populations of the mountain chicken provide hope that this important species can survive into the future.
The chytrid fungus in Montserrat
Nearly 60% of Montserrat is an exclusion zone, implemented after the Soufrière Hills volcano in the south of the island became active in 1995 after centuries of dormancy. Continued volcanic activity notably resulted in Montserrats capital, Plymouth, being abandoned. More than half the population have since left the island.
The volcanos eruptions also took their toll on the mountain chicken. The frogs used to be seen from the ocean to the 1,000-meter peak of the Soufrière Hills, but pyroclastic flows and ash falls probably destroyed many populations and their homes, leaving the species to live only in a small part of the islands’ Centre Hills reserve.
With the devastation of the species in Dominica, the best hope for the mountain chickens survival seemed to be in Montserrat, but by 2009 Bd was identified there, too.
Forestry officials and a local hunter saw a lot of mountain chickens, which usually come out at night, gathering around water during the day. They also found dead frogs. Sick-looking individuals displayed the clinical signs of chytridiomycosis, which can include lethargy, redness of the belly and legs, and muscle tremors.
Bd infections dont affect all amphibians in the same way. Some, like the mountain chicken, are highly susceptible. Others are more resistant and can act as disease vectors, moving the fungus from one area to another. On Montserrat and Dominica, the fungus is also known to be carried by eleutherodactylid frogs and cane toads.
Much of Montserrats fresh produce is imported from Dominica. It has been suggested that Bd-infected stowaway frogs could have been a way the fungus made the leap to the island.
As was the case in Dominica, the arrival of Bd in Montserrat caused the mountain chicken population to crash. The last male and female were moved closer together with hopes of them breeding, but they were last recorded in 2016, leading the Montserratian population to be considered functionally extinct.
What is a mountain chicken?
Mountain chickens (Leptodactylus fallax) are one of the worlds largest species of frog, sometimes growing to over 20 centimetres long and weighing up to a kilogram. They come in different colors, but most of the time they are reddish-brown with dark spots and a cream belly. This helps them blend in with the leaf litter where they live in the humid forests.
Mountain chickens used to be found on several islands in the Lesser Antilles, but now only occur on Dominica and Montserrat. The species was once abundant on these two islands, commonly hunted and eaten, and was even formerly an unofficial national dish in Dominica.
Until hunting seasons and bans came into force, its estimated that 18,000-36,000 mountain chickens were caught per year on Dominica. While there are no official records for Montserrats historical population, unpublished data shows that 1,043 frogs were harvested there in 1979, and 1,680 in 1980.
Also known as the Dominican white-lipped frog, giant ditch frog and crapaud, mountain chickens are culturally important, appearing in local folk songs, calypsos, poems and jokes. Their likeness is also included on Dominicas coat of arms.
There are several theories for the origin of the unusual common name, mountain chicken. It may be a reference to their large size or that they have been a food. It could also be due to their chicken-like, squawking alarm call.
Mountain chickens are carnivores with voracious appetites. They eat almost anything they can swallow, from crickets, millipedes and tarantulas to small vertebrates including geckos and other frogs.
They are also diligent parents with a unique reproductive strategy. Using a trilling call, a male mountain chicken will entice a female into a nesting burrow, where they mate and a foam nest is produced into which the female lays her eggs.
Tadpoles hatch in the nest and the males and female remain close by, aggressively defending their young as they develop. The female also produces thousands of unfertilised eggs that her young feed on. When the tadpoles metamorphose into juvenile frogs, they leave the nest to fend for themselves. Mountain chickens have a lifespan of about 12 years.
Mountain Chicken Frog | Curious Creatures
FAQ
Why is it called a mountain chicken?
The “mountain chicken” is called so because its meat is said to taste like chicken. Despite the name, it is actually a frog, specifically the Leptodactylus fallax, native to the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat. It’s also known as the giant ditch frog or crapaud.
Does mountain chicken taste like chicken?
Yes, it does taste like chicken and yes that’s how it got it’s name but people ate too many and the chytrid fungus came to town to kill off the rest. It is likely that you will only see it in Montserrat or Dominica. There are only about 8,000 of these left in the whole world, so don’t eat it.
Can you eat a mountain chicken?
Mountain chickens are a culturally significant species in both Montserrat and Dominica. Before the chytridiomycosis epidemic, mountain chicken was eaten by many people in both Dominica and Montserrat. It was the national dish of Dominica until it became less popular.
What is mountain chicken made of?
Mountain chickens are frogs! They are part of the Leptodactylidae, which they share with a diverse group of frogs. Their name comes from its massive size; this frog can reach a weight of 2 pounds and measure as long as 8 inches. They build nests with foam they secrete for their eggs.
What is a mountain chicken?
In summation, the mountain chicken, with its confounding nomenclature and extraordinary adaptability, emerges as an emblem of tenacity in the face of adversity. Even though there are big problems, the dedication of environmentalists and scientific leaders shines a light on the future.
Is a mountain chicken a frog?
The mountain chicken, despite its bewildering nomenclature, stands as a sizable species of frog, indigenous exclusively to the idyllic isles of Dominica and Montserrat within the Caribbean archipelago. These islands serve as a sanctum for this unique amphibious denizen, where it has intricately evolved to harmonize with its singular surroundings.
What does a mountain chicken taste like?
The mountain chicken actually refers to a species of giant frog native to the area. The legs, which form the basis of a dish, is considered Dominica’s national food. If you’ve ever had frog’s legs before, then you know that they indeed taste a lot like chicken.