Alberta’s 10 Amphibian species divide their lifecycles between land and water. They often act as indicator species, showing changes in their environment early on.

A Plains Spadefoot. Photo © S. Heerema

A Great Plains Toad. Photo © A. Teucher

A Boreal Chorus Frog. Photo © A. Teucher

Amphibians are a unique classification of animals that live partly in the water and partly on land. Alberta has ten species of amphibians, composed of four frog species, four toad species, and two salamander species. These are: Long-toed Salamander, (Western) Tiger Salamander, Northern Leopard Frog, Wood Frog, Columbia Spotted Frog, Boreal Chorus Frog, (Western) Boreal Toad, Great Plains Toad, Canadian Toad, and Plains Spadefoot.

Amphibians are considered a key indicator of ecological health because they tend to live in one area throughout their lifecycles, and live both in water and on land, increasing their susceptibility to both aquatic and terrestrial stressors.

What can you do to help Alberta’s amphibians?

Join the Alberta Volunteer Amphibian Monitoring Program
Submit sightings and audio recordings of amphibians on iNaturalist
Make your yard or land amphibian-friendly by leaving it un-mowed, planning native species, avoiding the use of pesticides, and creating fish-free wetland habitats
Talk to your representatives about protecting critical wetland habitat and reducing chemical additions into waterways

Northern Leopard Frog (At risk)

The Northern Leopard Frog has various populations throughout Canada, with Alberta’s population being the Western Boreal/Prairie Population. These frogs have been listed as Threatened under the Alberta Wildlife Act since 1997, and are designated as Special Concern by the federal Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). These frogs have been experiencing declines due to factors such as loss of wetland areas, genetic isolation from fragmented populations, habitat degradation, pesticides and herbicides in water, development, road intensity increases, and chytrid fungus. Multiple re-introduction programs have been established in the province to help recover populations.

Plains Spadefoot (May be at risk)

The Plains Spadefoot lives in sandy soils in southeastern Alberta. They spend most of the warmer season buried in the sand in a hibernation-like state called ‘aestivation’, emerging briefly to breed after a heavy rain event. The population can be highly variable from year to year, depending on precipitation cycles and the availability of breeding ponds. Wetland drainage and cultivation, pesticide and herbicide use, and oil and gas activity are all contributors to declining habitat and populations of this species.

Canadian Toad (May be at risk)

The Canadian toad lives within the boreal forest, aspen parkland, and prairie areas of Eastern Alberta. Some declines have been noted for the Canadian toad within parkland and grassland ecosystems in the province. Wetland drainage and cultivation, drought periods, pesticide and herbicide use, and oil and gas activity are all contributors to declining habitat and populations of this species.

Great Plains Toad (Sensitive)

This toad resides in the short-grass prairie of southeastern Alberta, often near ditches and flooded fields that have loose soil that they can burrow in. Populations for this toad are unknown, but populations appear to be declining in the province due to drought, cultivation, oil and gas activity, and water contamination due to livestock.

Western/Boreal Toad (Sensitive)

The boreal toad can be found in the boreal, foothill, and Rocky Mountain regions of the province. These toads are particularly sensitive to chemical pollution, drought periods, pathogens such as Saprolegnia (introduced to them via stocked fish in waterbodies), and increased UV-B radiation exposure.

Columbia Spotted Frog (Sensitive)

This frog used to simply be called the spotted frog, before the Canada and United States populations were differentiated from one another in 1997. These frogs have a limited distribution in the Rocky Mountains and nearby foothills, and experience threats including predation by introduced fish species.

Long-toed Salamander (Sensitive)

This salamander favours the Rocky Mountain regions of the province, and can occasionally be found within the foothills. There are two subspecies in the province. This amphibian is sensitive to habitat alteration and degradation from development.

Wood Frog: (Secure)

The wood frog has a large range throughout Alberta, favouring forested areas.

Boreal Chorus Frog: (Secure)

This frog has the widest distribution in the province out of Alberta’s amphibian species. It can be found in all habitat types outside of alpine areas.

Western Tiger Salamander: (Secure)

This salamander lives mainly underground, in short-grass prairie, aspen parkland, and southern regions of the boreal forest. There are two subspecies in the province.

Due to amphibian’s sensitivity to habitat degradation, contamination, and climate change, many have experienced declines in the province, and across the world, over the last few decades. The IUCN has declared amphibians to be the most threatened vertebrate group globally due to declines in both diversity and abundance.

The main factors contributing to amphibian declines are:

Loss and degradation of wetland habitat
Prolonged drought periods
Urbanization
Road mortality
Water pollution and changing water conditions
Wetland drainages and development
Trout stocking in lakes and breeding areas
Herbicides and chemical additions, such as Atrazine, a common pesticide linked to defects in frogs, as well as alkylphenol polyethoxylates and octylphenol byproduct
Chytrid fungus (see below)

Chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), was first discovered in Alberta in 1999, and is now widespread. It targets both the tadpole and adult stages of the lifecycle, and causes chytridiomycosis, which produces symptoms such as abnormal behaviour, skin discoloration, damage to mouthparts, and other symptoms. This fungus can lead to both sudden death from the infection, or declined health and/or death due to symptoms. As climate change impacts the province, warmer or more variable temperatures may cause the fungus to spread more easily.

A timeline of amphibian-related updates in the province can be found below:

September 4, 2025

Alberta’s 10 Amphibian species divide their lifecycles between land and water. They often act as indicator species, showing changes in their environment early on.

Alberta’s Amphibians — A Timeline

The Story of Alberta’s Abandoned Amphibians

Conservation Corner: Returning a Lost Species to Waterton Lakes National Park: The Northern Leopard Frog

The Ribbet Hypothesis

Conservation Corner: The Leopard Frog and the Fungus

Amendments to the List of Species under SARA