What is a green tree frog?
The green tree frog is a large, friendly-looking frog of northern and eastern Australia. It is famous for turning up in bathrooms, water tanks and letterboxes.
Green tree frogs grow to about ten centimetres long. They are usually bright green or olive on top with a white belly, and have large toe pads that help them cling to smooth surfaces like glass.
They live in forests, wetlands and suburbs from northern Western Australia across the Top End to Queensland and northern New South Wales. They eat insects, spiders and sometimes smaller frogs.
Living with people
Green tree frogs often shelter in moist, cool places around houses, such as downpipes, toilets and showers. Their deep, repetitive croaking is a familiar sound on summer nights.
Their skin releases substances being studied for medical uses.
They can live for more than 15 years in captivity, and they are popular pets in many countries. In Australia, chytrid fungus, a disease that has devastated frogs worldwide, has affected some populations. Healthy frogs in gardens are a good sign, and leaving moist hiding spots and avoiding garden chemicals helps them survive.
Did You Know?
The green tree frog is also known as White's tree frog, after surgeon John White of the First Fleet.