Handicapable frog

[William]

I found this little frog on the road yesterday moving very strangely. I looked closer at it and thought it might be injured (broken its front legs) so I picked it and brought it with me home. (This was 50m/ 150ft from my home) The frog was moving in the direction of a frog breeding pond.

Anyway when I got home I discovered that it wasn't injured, the legs wasn't broken. It was simply deformed in such a way that the front legs was attached the wrong way to the body. What are the odds for such a frog to survive to reach adult hood like this one obviously did?

Or is there a disease that can turn the legs around like that when it is adult. It seemed fat/ very happy and very energetic. It just had to make a lot of small jumps to move forward, each one 1/5 inch


http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/strangefrog.jpg

[rich311k]

The poor thing. Amazing it has survived.

[Northernguy]

You sure have a talent for finding creatures in need!:22:

[Gayle]

Well I am not sure if that is a disease, or birth defect. Either way do not let it breed.

[Northernguy]

do not let it breed.
Poor guy!:11:

[Gayle]

LOL Poor guy maybe. But if it is disease, it could infest the whole breeding pond, if it is genetic, you do not want that to pass to the next generation.

Just my opinion!!

[William]

Don't worry gayle. It will never be able to breed. It wouldn't be able to hold on to a female to mate with her.

[Gayle]

LOL You never know!!!

So are you going to keep him??? He is kinda cute!!

[William]

Nope I let him on his way in the garden.

By the looks of it I would say genetically problem seems more likely but I would never rule disease out. And for the gene pool: My opinion on that is that if it can breed let it. It is how evolution works. It jumps forward from deformed/strange individuals. Most likely the "deformed" frogs will be a one way track but if they survive they might have some sort of benefit (seems unlikely) and be a part of the future evolution. The situation with endangered rare species might be a little different because we need to preserve the species first, allow evolution then becomes a second priority, but the frog is an extremely common species here so there is no point to interfere in the evolution. I know this might be a controversial view but I think we have meddled to much in nature. There are cases where we need to meddle more to correct the damage we done, but where it is not we better stay out of it.

[Gayle]

Well you make good points! I am just used to saying stuff like that from the constant breeding of dogs etc, and passing on problems like hip displaysia. I am sorry I did not mean to offend.

Frogs tell us a bunch about our environment. They are usually one of the first things to start showing abnormalities when there is a problem with the environment.

[William]

Absolutely no offence taken. I can understand and appriciate your opinion as well. And don't get my started on some dog breeds.

The frog populations here, endless number of species, seems very healthy despite for that one.

[Kaz]

I agree with William.

Because all the ones that have horrible defects will die anyway. Only a few would reach adulthood.