Amphibians

A frog sits in a patch of sundews.

NPS / Sarah King

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is home to 13 of the 18 amphibian species found in Maine. Amphibians begin their lives in water but spend most of their adult lives on land. They are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature relies on external sources, like surfaces that have been heated by the sun. They can even breathe partly through their skin! When Maine freezes over and turns into a winter wonderland, amphibians hibernate under leaves, burrow under the forest floor, or submerge themselves at the bottom of wetlands until the weather warms up. However, wood frogs can partially freeze during the winter and thaw in the spring in time to mate.

Some amphibians rely on vernal pools, temporary wetlands that dry up in the summer, to breed and lay their eggs. Amphibians start their seasonal migration to reach vernal pools (temporary wetlands that dry by summer) to breed and deposit their eggs when the perfect combination of rainy nights and temperatures around the mid-40s (Fahrenheit) appear early spring. A typical life cycle of an amphibian starts when they breed and lay eggs in water. Tadpoles then emerge and eventually grow legs, which allow them to transition to living on land for some or most of their life cycle.

On April 26th, 2021, Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declared May 2- 8, 2021 as Amphibian Week. Amphibian week celebrates and calls attention to the important role that animals such as frogs, toads, newts and salamanders play in our ecosystem and food chain. These small animals are considered good indicators of general ecosystem health and significant environmental changes. Amphibians are severely declining worldwide. Threats include disease, pollution, toxic chemicals, ultraviolet radiation, and habitat destruction. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife encourages members of the public to share their photo-documented observations as part of the Maine Amphibian & Reptile Atlas Project (MARAP) to help researches and scientists learn about the distribution and ecology of Maine’s herpetofauna (the reptiles and amphibians of a particular region).