Fire Bellied Toad
Size
They can grow to between 4 – 5cm. They can weight between 28 – 56 grams.
Habitat and Distribution
They inhabit shallow, stagnant bodies of water like ponds, swamps, and rice paddies. Fire-bellied toads are widely distributed across Eurasia, with different species occupying distinct regions of Europe and Asia. They inhabit Northeastern China, Korea, Southern Japan, and parts of Russia, and the European fire-bellied toad ranges from Germany and Denmark through Central and Eastern Europe to Russia.
Age
They can live between 10 – 15 years.
Diet
In the wild, fire-bellied toads are opportunistic carnivores that hunt small invertebrates both on land and in shallow water, including beetles, flies, ants, worms, snails, and various arthropods.
Groups and Breeding
These toads are social, gregarious, and often live in small communities or groups, sometimes referred to as “knots”. They breed in the wild during spring and early summer. The females generally deposit clusters of up to 45 eggs. Females produce 3 – 5 of these egg clusters which can lead to a total clutch size between 100-250 eggs.
Threats
The IUCN has listed this species as Least Concern, however their numbers are decreasing. Their biggest threats include habitat loss through urbanization, agricultural expansion (such as cardamom plantations), water pollution, and the draining of vital wetland breeding pools.
Interesting Facts
Fire-bellied toads are renowned for the “unken reflex,” a defense mechanism where they flip onto their backs to display brilliant, fiery-orange or red-and-black warning colors on their belly, signaling they are toxic to predators.
The Fire Bellied Toad During Your Day Out in Kent
These frogs can be found in our Reptile House. They share this home with a number of other reptiles and amphibians including White’s Tree Frogs, Spectacled Caimans and various Snakes.