Rare white frogs found at Wilsden

6:43am Friday 11th April 2008

Wildlife experts are excited about a rare find in a Wilsden pond - white frogs.

These pictures were sent to the Telegraph & Argus by Wilsden Gardening Association member John Bartle after another member found them in her garden.

The woman, who did not want to be named, called Mr Bartle who managed to capture pictures of the unusual creatures.

At first, he believed them to be albino frogs. But following discussions with amphibian experts, it turns out they are common frogs suffering from a rare genetic condition which makes almost all the colours in the frog's skin disappear. Frogs with the condition are referred to as xanthic.

Frog expert Joe Chattell said the find was "very rare" because xanthic and albino animals were usually picked off by predators shortly after being born.

However, the Wilsden white frogs seemed to have reached maturity, which means they must be more than three years old.

Mr Bartle, a former biology teacher, of Birchlands Grove, Wilsden, said: "I have never seen a frog like this in my life. That is why I was a bit puzzled.

"I just assumed they were albino but I did notice that they didn't have pink eyes. I managed to grab its leg, get a quick photo and return it safely to the pond.

Common frogs, which live in marsh lands, streams, ponds and gardens, can be many different colours, ranging from sandy yellow to dark brown, said Mr Chattell, an expert at the Blue Planet Aquarium near Chester.

He confirmed that the Wilsden white frog was not albino because it had normal colour pigmentation in its eyes.

Mr Chattell said: "This is a common frog that appears to be xanthic. This is a condition where all pigments except yellow and orange disappear.

"Xanthic and albino animals are usually picked out by predators at a young age as they stand out, making a find like this extremely rare.

"Conditions like this are a genetic defect which does occur naturally, and these traits will be passed on to the animal's offspring."

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