15 June 2024
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A new souvenir sheet from Canada Post, released on 15th April, features 2 endangered frog species found in Canada – the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) and Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri).
The souvenir sheet can be purchased from Canada Post for just $1.98 and has an image of an Oregon spotted frog peeking above the surface of marshy waters, whilst the stamps are affixed above. Also available is a first day cover for $2.84 which depicts the nocturnal Fowler’s toad on the sandy shore of Lake Erie, Ontario, which is the only place Fowler’s toads are found in Canada.
Canada is known for its respect and appreciation of its diverse wildlife. Previous stamp issues from Canada Post have shown Endangered Turtles (2019), Bears (2019), Endangered Whales (2022) and Animal Mothers and Babies (2023), which have raised awareness of the impact of human activity on animal populations.
Related article: Endangered Turtles stamps to be issued on World Turtle Day, 23 May
Above: The new souvenir sheet from Canada Post features an Oregon spotted frog peeking out the water
About the Oregon spotted frog
Oregon spotted frogs are reddish-brown or brown with light-centred black spots on their legs, backs, sides and heads. Oregon spotted frogs have two dorsolateral folds, which are ridges of glandular skin that run down the sides of their backs. They can grow up to 10cm in length, with females usually growing larger than the males. Juvenile Oregon spotted frogs have white coloured bellies that become increasingly red as they mature.
Unlike most other frogs, their eyes are angled upwards which allows them to remain almost entirely submerged whilst still able to see above the water. They inhabit warm, shallow, wetlands and in Canada, they’re found exclusively in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, they’re also found in a small number of sites in the states of Washington and Oregon. Today just 33 populations of Oregon spotted frogs exist across the Pacific Northwestern region of the United States and Canada and is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Related article: Canadian stamp set to raise millions
About Fowler’s toads
Fowler’s toads range in length from around 5cm to over 8cm, they are grey to buff coloured on their backs with small dark spots and warts and white or cream-coloured bellies. There are a few differences between males and females that are distinguishable. Males tend to have dark coloured throats and their calls have been likened to a shrill scream whereas females’ throats are white. Fowler’s toads are primarily nocturnal and can be found on the north shore of Lake Erie, Ontario in Canada, they’re also found in many areas of the eastern United States.