Prey behaviour: freeze or flee
In this activity, students take on the role of a native frog, native bird or introduced mammalian predator and participate in a physically active simulation. The activity highlights different predator/prey strategies and one aspect of why mammalian predators have had such a dramatic effect in New Zealand.
Maud Island frog
Maud Island frogs are one of 4 endemic frog species found in New Zealand.
Points of interest
How are New Zealand’s endemic frog species different to frogs introduced from Australia?
What is being done to conserve the Maud Island frog?
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
give examples of different strategies used by predators to capture prey as well as defence strategies used by prey to avoid predation
describe some of the unique features of New Zealand frogs
better understand why introduced mammalian predators have had such a dramatic effect in New Zealand.
Threats to frogs
Dr Phil Bishop talks about the threats facing our native frogs. The most significant threat in New Zealand is introduced mammalian predators.
Download the Word file (see link below) for:
introduction/background notes
instructions on what you need and what to do
discussion questions
activity area set-up.
Related content
Read these supporting resources as background to this activity
Native frogs – all our native frogs are endemic and are members of a single genus – Leiopelma. They have many unique features and life processes compared with other frogs around the world.
Threats to native reptiles and amphibians – the three most significant threats facing our remaining populations of reptiles and amphibians are introduced species, habitat loss and disease.
Extinction – a species is considered extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died (IUCN). In New Zealand, a number of our native reptiles and amphibians are threatened with extinction.
Saving reptiles and amphibians – timeline – see look at some of the historical aspects of saving our reptiles and amphibians, the impacts on them by humans and our conversation efforts in New Zealand.
Useful links
Visit the NZFROG website for more information about our native frogs and their conservation.
