With the cool weather comes the mating call of Sanibel’s only winter-breeding frog species. The southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus) is in the true frog family known as Ranidae and is considered a native Sanibel frog.

“As far as we know, this frog arrived on Sanibel the same way many other species did historically — by floating across the bay on floating mats of vegetation that detached from the mainland along the Caloosahatchee River,” said SCCF Wildlife & Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz.

Southern leopard frogs are named for the leopard pattern on their dorsal side. They tend to live along permanent water, but are known to also frequent temporary pools, especially for breeding.

They have a slight salt tolerance, as proven after the storm surge of Hurricane Ian. Although densities decreased in many areas, these frogs have been both heard and seen in many of their known localities since the storms.

Their call resembles cackling or laughing. The males are most often heard calling for mates at night during cold fronts as the temperatures drop into the 50s and low 60s.

“They can even be heard calling if the temperature reaches the 40s and are the only frog species on the island that calls and breeds during these temps,” said Lechowicz.

Unlike the other Sanibel true frog, the pig frog (Lithobates grylio), which sits in the shallow water along the edge of permanent fresh water, southern leopard frogs tend to spend a lot of their time on land near the water’s edge in grasses.

If you approach southern leopard frogs, they quickly leap into the water or along the water’s edge. When fleeing, they can jump impressive distances and can be very difficult to approach. They are common near golf courses, as well as natural wetlands. They can be very dense in some areas and often victim to road mortality as they cross roads in high numbers during rain storms.

“Other Sanibel species breed in the early spring and others over the summer only,” said Lechowicz.

Southern leopard frogs can easily be heard breeding in roadside ditches and near other wetlands at night during the colder months. If you want to hear their distinctive call, just roll down your window and listen.

Learn about SCCF’s frog call survey research, which is conducted during the summer months when most island frogs are breeding.