A senegal running frog (Kassina senegalensis) makes a trek out its burrow to feed on many of the millions of emerging Odontotermes termites. This genus gets its name from its peculiar way of moving around. Whereas most frogs hop, running frogs walk with their hind legs, giving them a wobbling hunchback appearance. Running frogs belong to the family Hyperoliidae, a new family for me which consists almost entirely of species from sub-Saharan Africa. I spotted this individual a few weeks ago after a good rain. As I was taking photos, a termite flew straight into the frog’s face, plastering itself against the sticky skin membrane. So far this beautiful frog remains as the only amphibian species I’ve encountered at Mpala. We need more rain to stimulate frog activity!
Bonus points if you can spot another critter lurking in this photo 🙂