A new study reveals bullfrogs are fighting their way up the Yellowstone River in Montana in an unprecedented invasion that might threaten the survival of other species.

In the U.S. and other parts of the world, most amphibian populations are on the decline since extreme droughts are transforming wet marshlands and swamps into uninhabitable ones. During recent years, however, the American bullfrog population has thrived and become rampant along the Yellowstone River.

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The American bullfrog has been described as a dangerous threat to biodiversity and ecosystems since this amphibian easily adapts to changing weather conditions and habitats, produce offspring at an alarming rate and devour anything, says the U.S. Geological Survey.

According to USGS scientist Adam Sepulveda, the USGS  has not yet determined the effects of the bullfrog invasion but indigenous Northern leopard frogs are very vulnerable since their habitats now overlap with each other.

Field data that gathered from 2010 and 2013 show this bullfrog spread has already infested large areas along the Yellowstone River. Sepulveda describes this event as an aggressive population explosion.

In 2013, bullfrogs expanded their territory to about 66 miles compared to the 37 miles in 2010 while breeding areas have extended from 12 sites in 2010 to 45 in 2013.

The USGS declared bullfrogs are extremely hard to eliminate because females can hatch up to 40,000 eggs and are often mobile and adaptive to any environment.

Sepulveda knows in order to maintain biodiversity in the Yellowstone River, the USGS should be able to take immediate steps to contain and control the bullfrogs.

This study was published in the journal, Aquatic Invasions.

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