05/14/2026
Heard any strange sounds coming from the hills lately? With how much rain we've had, it might be some of our local amphibians! With standing water in very short supply at Government Canyon, most of the frog and toad species here are limited to short breeding windows in small and rapidly receding bodies of water. However, three of them make their homes deep within the limestone crevices of our karst and cave habitats, and have adaptations to match.
On a humid night in late April, amid the “peep peep peeps” of many cliff chirping frogs, Ranger Ryan heard the distinctive “WAH!” of one of our least-known residents: the barking frog. The call seemed to be pretty close by, and after stumbling around in the dark, the culprit was found, seemingly guarding the entrance of an unknown karst feature! While not a true “cave,” this hole was about 10 feet deep and 6 feet across. Two more barking frogs were found clinging to the walls inside, along with a dozen or so cliff chirping frogs and western slimy salamanders! All three of these species are so well-adapted to life on land that they do not need standing water to breed; they simply lay their gelatinous eggs deep within a rocky crevice, guarding them until they hatch. The tadpoles go through their entire larval stage and metamorphosis within the egg, emerging as miniature versions of their parents!
Fun fact: The cliff chirping frog, scientific name Eleutherodactylus marnockii, was first described to science right here in Helotes in the 1870’s! Herpetologist Gabriel Marnock, for whom the frog is named, settled in a farm house that still stands to this day right off of Scenic Loop Road. The historical marker in front of the home mentions his contributions to the study of reptiles and amphibians.
