Frog mistaken for 'scratched garden ornament' baffles experts
Experts suggested several possible explanations without a definitive answer.
A gardener had to do a double take in his nursery this week when he spotted something new beside his plants, initially confused by the old "scratched garden ornament". But on closer inspection, he realised it was in fact a live frog with multiple scratches running along its body.
The resident of Toormina, just south of Coffs Harbour in NSW, was baffled to see the amphibian rest peacefully on the ledge despite its obvious injuries, unsure how the green tree frog had succumbed to such scars, and he wasn't the only one confused by the frog's state.
Frog experts struggle to pinpoint how the frog was harmed
Frog skin is sensitive and easily pierced, so the suggestion that it had been a victim of a predator attack was deemed unlikely given the scratches on the frog in question appear "superficial".
"It's really hard to say, they look like scratches but honestly it could be anything and they are not deep," Biologist Jodi Rowley from the Australian Museum told Yahoo News Australia.
The resident told Yahoo he thought the scratches may have been caused by a "chicken wire fence" which he has since removed, with Rowley saying it is definitely a "plausible" cause. However, Professor Conrad Hoskin from James Cook University said he wouldn't rule out a cat inflicting the scratches on the frog, who may have simply had a lucky escape.
Frogs are struggling to survive in Australia
Although the green tree frog has been able to thrive in human environments alongside a handful of other species, the majority have suffered a significant decline for several decades now. Fifteen are currently registered as endangered and four have become extinct, with a study conducted by Rowley finding one in five Australian species are currently threatened with extinction.
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Back in 2004, 39.4 per cent of all amphibian species were believed to be threatened with extinction — meaning they were either categorised as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable — however, now it sits at 40.7 per cent, according to the Australian Museum.
Factors contributing to frog decline include climate change which has affected air and water quality, and the chytrid fungus disease which has impacted amphibians worldwide.
The growing number of pets in Australia are also threatening the 240 species currently found in the country, with research showing 323 million native animals are killed every year at the 'paws' of cats alone.
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