Pool Frog

The pool frog (also known as the northern pool frog) is a species of medium-sized frog natively found in parts of northern Europe. The pool frog is the rarest amphibian in England and actually is thought to have been extinct in native environment during the 1990s, but re-introduction programmes are now under-way.

The northern pool frog is naturally found in Sweden, Norway and on Britain's south-east coast where it inhabits natural ponds found in forested or heathland areas. Much of the pool frog's native habitat has now been bulldozed to create housing estates which led to the sharp decline and extinction of this species on the British Isles.

The pool frog is a medium sized frog that is generally brown or brownish-green in colour with a splattering of dark spots across it's skin. Pool frogs are also easily identified by their sharply pointed heads and by the two, lightly coloured stripes that run down either side of the pool frog's back.

Frogs are well known for their webbed feet, and the pool frog is no exception. Pool frogs have webbing (flaps of skin) between their toes which not only assists the pool frog when swimming about in the water but also gives these rare amphibians more grip when climbing about on the slippery banks of the pond.