- they carry diseases, could catch a disease and kill the nearest frog?
- they don't have good eyesight and rely on their whiskers to interpret their surroundings
- they have great balance which makes them great climbers
- they can swim for 3 days straight, and can hold their breath for 3mins, could they be immune for 3 turns? (as if they are hidden underwater)
- they have strong teeth and can chew through glass, lead, wire etc, they could escape from a trap?
- adult rats can fit through holes the size of a coin
- rats have 4-6 litters of 6-12 babies each year, they could breed and gain more rat players?
- rats are colour blind
- rats have a good memory and can remember
http://pestworldforkids.org/pest-guide/rats/
Hamilton's Frog:
- Less than 300 in the wild
- lives on rocky ground, so has no webbing on hands and feet
- ground dwelling
- males and females look the same
- endangered
- they have tail wagging muscles but no tail
- their pupils are round rather than slit like other NZ primitive frogs
- needs to stay damp or will dry out and die
- males carry young on their backs
- mostly light brown in colour but some green have been seen
- a single brown line runs alongside of the head and through the eyes
- live in rocky moist and grassy areas
- nocturnal
- they eat fruit flies, small crickets, moths and spring tails
Maud Island Frog:
- dark brown colour
- 40,000 in the wild
- ground dwelling
- nocturnal
- catch their prey with their mouth rather than flicking their tongue
- lay their eggs in moist areas under rocks, logs, vegetation
- the eggs are guarded by the males and take 14-21 weeks to develop
- while young they climb onto the males back
- they like cool misty evenings
- active above the ground when the temperature is between 8 and 14 degrees
- they live for long periods of time, up to in their 30s
- listed as vulnerable
Archey's Frog:
- the smallest native nz frog
- ground welling
- they like to live at high altitude in damp, misty, moist native forests away from water
- they are nocturnal
- spend the days hidden under rocks or logs away from streams
- young frogs stay on their father's back
- disease has forced their population to decrease
- critically endangered
- colours vary from green to brown and red patterning
- they often climb trees
- chytrid fungus epidemic caused a large decline in this species
Hochstetters:
- has a tadpole stage!
- the most aquatic frog of the native species (semi-aquatic)
- nocturnal
- shelter in wet crevices near the water's edge
- stocky
- males have stronger larger forearms (the only native species who does this)
- listed as vulnerable
- more warty than the other native frogs
- the only native species to have any webbing. - They have partially webbed feet on their hind toes
- colours vary from green to brown so are well camouflaged
- have a yellow-brown belly
- lives close to streams
- eats spiders, beetles, mites, snails, worms
- rats, goats and pigs are the biggest threat
- Hochstetter’s frog prefers its own odour to the smell of unfamiliar members of the same species
- males are smaller than the females
- Hochstetter’s frog does not assume a rigid head-butting stance with a raised body and extended legs. Instead, this species is more likely to try to escape in water, where it swims away in a highly characteristic style. Hochstetter’s frog uses an initial double legged "frog-kick" for a few strokes followed by alternate leg kicks which cause their heads to move from side to side during swimming.
- As a defense mechanism, Hochstetter’s frogs can remain motionless for long periods of time
http://www.nzfrogs.org/NZ+Frogs/Native+frogs.html
http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/branches/tauranga/hotchstetters-frog
http://www.nhc.net.nz/index/frogs-new-zealand/new-zealand-frogs.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton%27s_frog
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9991/archeys-frog
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9990/hochstetters-frog
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