Endemic to Malta and Sicily, the Painted Frog is the only naturally occurring amphibian in the Maltese Islands. It gets its particular name from the colourful markings on its dorsal, but in Maltese is simply called ‘iz-zring’ (the frog).

It can be found throughout Malta and Gozo, all over agricultural land and other places with a source of freshwater but prefers shallow pools in valleys. In summer, this species retreats to damp places.

These frogs lay up to 500 eggs at a time, and the tadpoles (‘il-Marzepp’ in Maltese) transform into froglets within 5-8 weeks. Sadly, their numbers are declining due to habitat loss, so they’re now protected by law.

If you’d like to catch a glimpse of one of these delicate little creatures, heading to Chadwick Lakes during the rainy season might be a good place to start!

Have you ever spotted a Painted Frog?