The prefect of France's Haute-Garonne department has opened a public consultation on renewing an order to capture and kill the African clawed frog, an invasive amphibian found in several basins in the Montaudran district of southeast Toulouse.
The species, known in French as the xenope lisse and scientifically as Xenopus laevis, is native to Africa and is closely monitored because of its exceptional reproductive potential, according to the prefecture.
The frog is highly adaptable, able to colonize ponds, lakes, ditches, retention basins and small waterways alike. It is a formidable predator of fish, invertebrates and other amphibians, posing a direct threat to local biodiversity. It can also be a healthy carrier of diseases that cause significant mortality among native amphibians, making it a sanitary risk for aquatic ecosystems, the prefecture said.
Xenopus laevis has long served as a laboratory model organism in scientific research around the world, including in early pregnancy testing, and escaped or released specimens have helped the species become one of the most widely established invasive amphibians globally.
Several Basins Targeted in Montaudran
The draft order covers several sites in Toulouse: a retention basin belonging to Autoroutes du Sud de la France, three basins within the Toulouse Montaudran Aerospace development zone, and the basin at the Jardin Bresilien in Parc de la Ligne. If approved, the authorization would run until December 31, 2027.
The operations will be carried out by the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels d'Occitanie, with support from several partners including the Office francais de la biodiversite, Toulouse Metropole, the City of Toulouse and the regional environment authority DREAL Occitanie.
Frogs to Be Captured and Euthanized
Under the plan, the frogs will be captured using traps and nets. Eggs and larvae will be eliminated by treating the basins with quicklime. Adult frogs will be euthanized by a veterinarian before being sent to a rendering facility.
Any other invasive species caught in the process, such as Louisiana crayfish or pumpkinseed sunfish, will also be destroyed, the prefecture said.
Louisiana crayfish, native to the southern United States, have themselves become a well-established invasive species in waterways across Haute-Garonne.
Public Consultation Before Final Decision
Before the order is formally signed, the public has been invited to submit comments as part of the consultation organized by the prefecture.
