Amphibians and Reptiles

Listen for frogs in the evening as you walk along the Rouge Marsh Trail. The call of a green frog sounds like the twang of a loose banjo string. They range in colour from green to bronze or brown. The gray tree frog’s call is a short trill. As their name suggests, these frogs can be found on trees and shrubs near wetlands.

The Beare Wetlands are a great place to find several species of frogs, including the northern leopard frog. This species is green or brown with dark spots and a white belly. Northern leopard frogs are found in every province in Canada and can occupy a wide range of habitats.

Northern Map turtles get their name from the yellow or orange lines on their shell that resemble contour lines on a map. The rest of the shell is greenish-brown to more yellow-cream on the lower part. They have a yellow spot between their eyes and yellow lines along their head and legs. Find these turtles in wetlands, ponds and streams in the park.

Of the five native turtle species that have been observed in Rouge National Urban Park, the painted turtle is the only one that is not classified as a species-at-risk. Painted turtles have a dark upper shell with red markings along the edge and a yellow or tan lower shell. Look for them basking on the logs in the Beare Wetland ponds on sunny days.

The most common invasive turtle in Ontario, the red-eared slider is distinguishable by the bright red stripe it has on either side of its face.

Snapping turtles are classified as a species of special concern under federal law. These prehistoric-looking turtles have a dark upper shell and a long tail covered in bony plates. They are the largest freshwater turtle in Canada. Snapping turtles are threatened by various factors, including habitat loss, road mortality, poaching and nest predation by animals such as raccoons.

The western chorus frog is small and smooth skinned, and ranges from green-grey to brown in colour. They are almost identical to boreal chorus frogs; the difference is their shorter hind legs. Like most tree frogs, they are much easier to hear than spot, so keep your ears open for a call that sounds like running a finger along a comb.