Indian Bullfrogs Take to Invasive Behaviour Early in Andamans

• Indian bullfrogs introduced in the Andaman islands are invasive, and eat native wildlife including fish and lizards. The Indian bullfrog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (native to the Indian subcontinent) has rapidly invaded the Andaman islands after it was introduced there in the early 2000s.

Key Facts

• Experiments reveal that the frogs take to this invasive behaviour early in their lives. Even in the developmental stages, the large bullfrog tadpoles eat other native frog tadpoles.
• In human-dominated areas, it now shares space with other native (and often endemic) frog species.
• The bullfrogs are prolific breeders: they have short breeding seasons, and each egg clutch can ....