Second Discovery in Korea...
"Habitat Threatened by Climate Crisis"
An albino narrow-mouthed frog has been discovered in Daejeon, marking only the second such case reported in South Korea.
On June 20, Yonhap News reported that Kwangyeon Moon, director of the Korean Society of Herpetologists, observed a white albino narrow-mouthed frog on June 14 in a population habitat located in Chansaem Village, Jikdong, Dong-gu, Daejeon.
Albino Narrow-Mouthed Frog Discovered in Chansaem Village, Daejeon. Photo by Kwangyeon Moon, Yonhap News
This is the second time an albino narrow-mouthed frog has been found in South Korea, following the first discovery in 2009. The narrow-mouthed frog is classified as a Class II endangered amphibian by the Ministry of Environment and is known to gather in groups for mating during the monsoon season.
Albinism is a congenital genetic disorder caused by the absence of melanin synthesis in the skin and eyes of animals. The albino narrow-mouthed frog discovered this time was confirmed to have white skin and red-tinted eyes.
According to Director Moon, during the breeding season, male narrow-mouthed frogs adopt an "axillary amplexus" posture, in which they clasp the female just behind her forelimbs, and this behavior was observed. Being nocturnal, narrow-mouthed frogs feed at night in meadows, wetlands, and ponds, while they rest underground during the day. Eggs laid in water hatch into tadpoles in one to two days, and the tadpoles develop into frogs within 30 days.
The presence of a large population of narrow-mouthed frogs indicates a healthy ecosystem. The government has also designated the narrow-mouthed frog as one of 100 "climate change biological indicator species," using its ecology to monitor and predict changes and vulnerabilities in biodiversity on the Korean Peninsula. The main causes of endangerment include habitat destruction due to a decrease in farmland, wetland development, road construction, and climate change.
Director Moon stated, "Narrow-mouthed frogs usually live underground, so the soil must not be polluted, and since they lay eggs in water, the water must also be clean. They can only inhabit healthy ecosystems." He added, "However, due to the climate crisis, the size of habitats for this endangered species is shrinking significantly."
He continued, "These days, climate change is accelerating global warming, which increases the evaporation of water from the ground and dries out the land. Narrow-mouthed frogs lay eggs in standing water, but if the water dries up, the eggs die, making reproduction difficult. Preserving the habitats of narrow-mouthed frogs is directly linked to preserving our ecosystem."
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