Tadpoles

We have given tadpoles their own page so that we can tell you more about them. Tadpoles are the larval (child) stage of frogs or toads, amphibians.

The adults mate and then the females lay their eggs all together on the top of the pond. The eggs are known as spawn and each cluster of eggs can contain up to 2000 eggs. The eggs are black and have a clear jelly-like substance around them. This is to protect them. 

After a few days they hatch out into tadpoles. Tadpoles have gills which enable them to extract oxygen from the water - to breathe under water. They eat algae and vegetation to begin with, but as they change and grow, they start to eat small creatures too. They grow back legs first - can you see the legs forming in the photo above? Next they grow front legs and then they reabsorb their tails into their bodies, changing it into food to help their growth! They also lose their gills and instead develop lungs to breathe. At this point they leave the pond and start to explore their surroundings. This whole growing process is called metamorphis, it just means change.

As for lots of creatures, having a varied habitat is really important. Amphibians need both water and surrounding vegetation, log piles etc.