Krefft's warty frog facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Krefft's warty frog
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Brevicipitidae
Genus:	Callulina
Species:	C. kreffti
Binomial name
Callulina kreffti Nieden, 1911
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The Krefft's warty frog (Callulina kreffti) is also known as the Krefft's secret frog. This small frog belongs to the Brevicipitidae family, which are often called "rain frogs" or "short-headed frogs."

You can find this unique frog in the Eastern Arc Mountains. These mountains are located in Tanzania and southern Kenya. Krefft's warty frog lives in warm, wet forests, including lowland and mountain forests. It can also be found in gardens and areas where forests have been cut down. Sadly, losing its home is a big problem for this frog.

What Krefft's Warty Frog Looks Like

Krefft's warty frog is a strong, sturdy frog. It has a short snout and short legs. You can see its eardrums right behind its eyes.

This frog can grow up to about 41 millimeters long. That's a bit less than two inches! Its fingers and toes are short, but they have wide pads. These pads help the frog climb around.

The frog's back is covered with many small warts. It feels a bit bumpy. Its color can be greyish-brown, rusty brown, or even greyish-black. The underside of its body is usually a lighter color.

Where Krefft's Warty Frog Lives

Krefft's warty frog lives only in certain parts of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. This means it is an endemic species. In Kenya, it lives in the Taita Hills and Shimba Hills.

In Tanzania, you can find it in several mountain ranges. These include the Pare Mountains, Usambara Mountains, Uluguru Mountains, Nguru Mountains, Ukaguru Mountains, and Udzungwa Mountains.

These frogs live at different heights, from about 300 to 2,200 meters above sea level. They like to hide among fallen leaves in forests. You might also find them under rocks or logs. Sometimes, they climb on low plants. They can even be found in banana plants!

How Krefft's Warty Frog Is Doing

The Krefft's warty frog is quite tough. It can handle some changes to its habitat better than other frog species. Because of this, it is listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means it's not in immediate danger of disappearing.

However, there are still threats to this frog. The biggest problem is that its forest home is being cut down. People clear the land for farming. In the Usambara Mountains, illegal gold mining also harms the frog's habitat.