Invasive amphibians and reptiles

Last updated on January 31, 2024

Invasive amphibians and reptiles are not naturally found in B.C. and can harm the province's natural environment or adversely affect people's health, native ecosystems and the local economy if they are not detected early, identified and managed.

There are 5 priority categories. A animal's priority category determines the province's response.

  1. Prevent
  2. Early detection and rapid response (EDRR)
  3. Provincial Containment
  4. Regional containment/control
  5. Management

The amphibians and reptiles on this page are organized into the prevent and regional containment/control categories. 

Prevent

Species determined to be high risk to B.C. and not yet established. Management objective is prevent the introduction and establishment.

 

Regional containment/control

Species is high risk and well established, or medium risk with high potential for spread. Management objective is to prevent further expansion into new areas within the region through establishment of containment lines and identification of occurrences outside the line to control.

American Bullfrog on a log

American bullfrog (PDF, 486KB)
Lithobates catesbeianus

Green frog in mud

Green frog (PDF, 554KB)
Lithobates clamitans

Two Red-Eared Sliders on rocks

Red-Eared slider (PDF, 599KB)
Trachemys scripta

Snapping turtle on the shore

Snapping turtle (PDF, 623KB)
Chelydra serpentina

 

 

Report sightings
adult male American bullfrog

Report invasive species before they cause harm.

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