All 160 southern African frog species and their tadpole stages are comprehensively described. Each species includes English, Afrikaans and scientific names, conservation status, habits, distribution maps, habitats and key ID points, and a selection of highly detailed photographs. High-definition video and frog calls for the majority of species are also included.
“Identifying frogs in the field can be tricky sometimes – even experts don’t always find it easy. This app has some smart ways to overcome the difficulties,” explains Carruthers. “The GPS feature automatically lists only those species that occur where you happen to be. Then four simple choices – the shape of the eye, the toe tips, the webbing and the digging heel – will further shorten your list of possible options, leaving you with only a handful of species to choose from."
A 'compare' function allows you to view two different frog species side by side on the same screen. This will make it much easier to distinguish between species that are very similar. The app includes a life list feature, which allows the more serious frogger to store sightings, including the date, comments and the GPS location. This list can be exported to email.
“We are very excited about the potential of this app as a research tool. It will be of great benefit to scientists and the frogging community in general,” says Du Preez.
Jeanne Tarrant, Manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s threatened amphibian programme says; “This eagerly anticipated app fills a gap that both experts and the public alike are going to find not only extremely useful, but also informative, educational and fun! The videos in particular provide a feature seldom seen in equivalent apps.”