The little black rain frog looks a lot like a little black rain cloud. Very grumpy! It also looks a lot like an avocado. Dark and bumpy. What else do we know about these funny frogs?

Along with its grumpy frown, the black rain frog has a fat, round body. It has short legs. Because its legs are so short, it can’t swim or hop. It can only walk.

The black rain frog spends most of its life underground. Its feet are flat and shaped like shovels. It digs away the dirt as it moves backwards into its burrow. Buried safely, it absorbs water from the dirt.

Black rain frogs live in South Africa. They eat bugs. They are losing their habitat because cities are growing.

When the black rain frog is in danger, it puffs up like a balloon. It is normally only one or two inches long. But it grows two to three times its normal size.

Growing makes it look scarier. It also helps it stick tightly into its hole. That way predators can’t pull it out. 

Black rain frogs breed in the summer. During this time, they sing when it rains. This singing makes people think that the frogs can predict when rain is coming.

Most frogs need water to lay their eggs. Black rain frogs do not. They lay eggs in nests underground. The male frogs guard the nests until the eggs
hatch. They do not hatch as tadpoles, but as full, tiny frogs! 

What do black rain frogs sound like? You might be surprised! Even though they have a grumpy face, they have a high happy squeal. Hooray for black rain frogs!