Frogs Po-Land
European water frog breeding
This is the first company in Europe to provide semi-natural commercial frog breeding for scientific purposes. Our innovative project started in 2019 in north-eastern Poland and was designed by Dr. Adam Hermaniuk – a researcher who dealt for many years with the biology of amphibians and the author of scientific publications in the fields of water frog physiology and ecology. Currently, our team consists of three people who aim to develop a modern activity at the science-business interface.
Our aims
The main goal of the project is the semi-natural breeding of European water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus and P. ridibundus) for research purposes. Due to the extinction and progressive global population decline of amphibians, the use of amphibians from their natural environments for scientific purposes is raising increasing doubts. However, the use of animals as research models is a key component of scientific research in areas such as biology, medicine, and pharmacology. Facing this problem, we designed a semi-natural alternative for rearing frogs. Such an activity will help to protect natural amphibian populations from overexploitation, while also allowing research to be conducted using models functioning in a close-to-natural environment.
Amphibians as a research model
Amphibians are widely used as research objects in various scientific fields. In medicine, some species are used as model organisms, with the expectation that discoveries made in such models will help researchers to understand the physiology of other organisms, including humans. For example, due to the size and transparency of the eggs of amphibians, amphibian embryos are used as models in developmental biology, cell biology, toxicology, and neuroscience research.
The gentle skin of amphibians is extremely sensitive to various substances present in the environment. Furthermore, given that amphibians inhabit both aquatic (as larvae) and terrestrial (as adults) habitats, they serve as an excellent bioindicator of environmental conditions. Such features are crucial in studies exploring the different effects of chemical substances on the physiology of animals. The accumulation of fertilizers and plant protection products (e.g., insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides) that are widely used in agriculture is a serious problem, especially in drainless water bodies. As water frogs are widespread in Europe and are closely associated with aquatic environments, they are exposed to contacts with various substances that may also be harmful to humans.
In general, water frogs have considerable potential as a research model, not only in conservation-based studies.
Description of reared species
Edible frog
The edible frog Pelophylax esculentus is a natural hybrid between the pool frog P. lessonae and the marsh frog P. ridibundus. Adults grow up to approximately 10 cm in length. Edible frogs are typically solid green in colour with black spots on their back and a bright vertebral line along the body. They breed in large water bodies and in fish ponds. Edible frogs are attached to water and spend most of the spring and summer seasons on the shorelines of water bodies, preying on various types of invertebrates. Males’ vocal sacs on either side of their mouths help to amplify their breeding calls, which can be heard from large distances.
The edible frog is a fertile hybrid, which is a rare phenomenon in extant vertebrates. To maintain their own lineage, hybrids present an unusual reproductive mode known as hybridogenesis, which involves back-crossing with the co-occurring parental species. Depending on their habitats, two major breeding systems have been described in Europe: the L-E system (in which hybrids coexist with P. lessonae) and the R-E system (in which hybrids coexist with P. ridibundus). As marsh frogs inhabit large water bodies and rivers, R-E systems are spread near these biotopes. Smaller ponds far from rivers are usually inhabited by L-E systems.
Marsh frog
The marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus is the largest species among European native frogs. Adults can reach up to 12 - 15 cm in length. They vary in colour but generally tend to be green or brown. Males’ vocal sacs range from dark grey to black in colour, and their breeding calls sound like laughter. This frog is most common in large river valleys and in deep-water reservoirs, where the frogs hibernate. Due to their large size, marsh frogs can prey not only on various invertebrates but also on small fish, nestlings, and even small mammals and lizards.
Frog breeding
This project started after obtaining appropriate permission from the Regional Directorates for Environmental Protection in Poland. We have appropriate authorization from the Polish Ministry of Education and Science to breed animals used for scientific and educational purposes (https://www.gov.pl/web/edukacja-i-nauka/rejestry). The parental frogs necessary to establish breeding lines were collected from a natural R-E population in central Poland. After the breeding period, all parental frogs were returned to their original place of collection. Currently, our activity is based on offspring that have already been born "in captivity".
Our breeding project is located in a river valley in Podlasie and comprises three fenced ponds on a plot with an area of 2000 m2. The frogs are kept under similar conditions to those found in their natural habitats. Tight fencing of the whole area prevents the amphibians from escaping. Natural algae growing in the water bodies constitute the main food source of tadpoles; if necessary, their diets are supplemented with fish food. Frogs, as predators, prey on the insects and other invertebrates that are present in large numbers in the ponds’ surroundings.
Our offer
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Two frog species: edible frog (Pelophylax esculentus) and marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus). These frogs are available in various developmental stages:
- adult individuals after their second overwintering, availability: April – October;
- subadults after their first overwintering, availability: April – October;
- juvenile individuals before their first overwintering, availability: April – October;
- tadpoles in various developmental stages, availability: June – August;
- spawn (frog eggs), availability: May.
We deliver living animals only throughout the European Union and neighboring countries. We guarantee professional transport in optimal conditions, minimizing the animals' stress.
Prices are set individually with each customer depending on the order size and specific needs of the customer.
We invite the cooperation of all universities and research institutions acting in the fields of biotech, pharma, medical, and life sciences.
Contact us
Frogs Po-Land
TROJJAN Janusz Trojgo
ul. Lilowa 27
15-697 Białystok
NIP 542-28-55-488
tel. +48 694 627 453
