Taiwanese Bullfrog

Fascinating facts about the Taiwanese Bullfrog

• Up to 12 cm (about 4½ inches) from snout to vent, the Taiwanese bullfrog is one of the largest frogs found in Asian markets.
• The species is found in many countries across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, and it breeds in spring to early summer.
• Genetic tests split the frog into two hidden lineages: a domesticated Thai group and a wild Chinese population. The split hints that what we call Hoplobatrachus chinensis might actually hide several sibling species, reshaping conservation priorities.
• Farmers in Sichuan, Malaysia, and Thailand raise these frogs in ponds, turning a wild amphibian into a cultivated protein source.
• In wet markets, the frogs are sold by the piece or kilogram, and in Filipino kitchens they are simmered whole in soy sauce and vinegar for adobo.

At a glance

About the Taiwanese Bullfrog

The Taiwanese bullfrog, Hoplobatrachus chinensis, is a robust amphibian that can exceed 12 centimetres (4½ inches) in snout-vent length, with females out-growing the males. It inhabits a wide range of watery habitats, including freshwater marshes, intermittent marshes, arable land, pasture land, rural gardens, urban areas, ponds, aquaculture ponds, open excavations, irrigated land, seasonally flooded agricultural land, and canals and ditches across countries such as Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. It breeds in spring to early summer. The frogs are commonly found in wet markets, seafood markets, and pet stores; they are sold per piece or per kilogram, and smaller individuals are used as live food for arowanas or other predator fish. Their fore- and hind-limbs are fried in oil in Chinese cuisine, while Filipino cooks use the whole frog in adobo, simmering it in soy sauce and vinegar.

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