Before we get started I want to apologize to anyone who tried to access Wild Facts yesterday while the site was down.  Unfortunately, our beloved animal site was hacked and needed to be restored through the back-up files.  If you have a blog then I recommend you head over and back-up your site right after you finish reading today’s fact.  Let’s get on with Wild Fact #850, shall we? We are going to start the week trudging through the marshes of the Amazon looking for the Amazon Horned Frog. Well, what are you waiting for, let’s go!!

The Amazon Horned Frog, are fat little amphibians that are about 20 cm (8″) in length but are fat enough to cover a small plate.  Like humans, they get this extra weight by eating everything in sight.  These little frogs are not picky eaters and can be pretty voracious. They will often bury themselves in the marshes of the Amazon so only their head is exposed.  When anything happens to walk by that is smaller than the frog, it will jump and swallow it whole.  Unfortunately, these aggressive feeders have actually killed themselves by trying to consume prey species that were too large to swallow.  The lesson here is to never eat anything bigger than yourself! The large mouths and extreme appetite of the Horned Frog has lead people to nick-name it the “Pac-Man Frog”.

The other thing you need to know about these special frogs is the fact that they are very territorial.  The males will defend their home as if it were their life. I am telling you this so you will understand why a “Pac-Man Frog” tried to consume you whole during our trip through the Amazon.

Amazon Horned Frog Fast Fact – The purpose of the “horns” on the frog’s head is unclear, however, it is believed to act as camouflage.  The horns do kind of look like the stems of leaves along the forest floor.  The poor unsuspecting prey will never see their attacker coming at them.

That does it for the Horned Frog so I will see you tomorrow.  Have a great day!