WHAT IS RANAVIRUS AND WHY do we care?
Ranavirus is a virus - there are lots of different strains around the world, and some a more deadly than others. In the UK we have a strain imaginatively named 'Frog Virus 3' or 'FV3'.
Ranavirus can infect amphibians, fish, and reptiles. In the UK ranavirus causes skin ulceration, internal haemorrhaging, and often death in Common frogs. When the disease emerges it is common to see large numbers of frogs die in a short time - often around 80% of the population is killed.
Ranavirus is an animal welfare and conservation issue globally. Amphibians are currently undergoing a mass extinction event - about a third to a half of amphibian species are threatened with extinction. This is caused by humans - largely due to habitat loss, climate change, introduced species, overexploitation for the food and pet trades, pollution and the spread of diseases.
Ranavirus can infect amphibians, fish, and reptiles. In the UK ranavirus causes skin ulceration, internal haemorrhaging, and often death in Common frogs. When the disease emerges it is common to see large numbers of frogs die in a short time - often around 80% of the population is killed.
Ranavirus is an animal welfare and conservation issue globally. Amphibians are currently undergoing a mass extinction event - about a third to a half of amphibian species are threatened with extinction. This is caused by humans - largely due to habitat loss, climate change, introduced species, overexploitation for the food and pet trades, pollution and the spread of diseases.
HOW TO SPOT RANAVIRUS
It's quite easy to tell if the frogs in your pond have Ranavirus - but you have to wait until the summer months as that is when the signs of disease are visible in the UK. The main signs are skin ulceration, bleeding from the mouth or anus (indicating internal haemorrhaging), weight loss (emaciation), and tiredness (lethargy).
This is a frog that has been attacked - probably by a bird. It looks different to Ranavirus - the edges of the wound are uneven and the skin looks like it has been torn. There are two holes which may be from the upper and lower beak. This is otherwise a healthy, plump frog, not like the thin frogs above.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND RANAVIRUS
There is no cure for Ranavirus. If you suspect that your frogs are infected, please report it through the Garden Wildlife Health website. You should avoid moving any animals, spawn, plants or ornaments between ponds as this may increase the risk of spreading the disease. When a frog population is infected with Ranavirus, we find three possible outcomes:
1 - sometimes after the initial mortality event the population recovers and disease is not seen again.
2 - sometimes the frog population is wiped out completely.
3 - sometimes the population persists, but numbers are reduced and disease is seen recurrently each summer.
We do not yet know what factors influence each of these outcomes.
1 - sometimes after the initial mortality event the population recovers and disease is not seen again.
2 - sometimes the frog population is wiped out completely.
3 - sometimes the population persists, but numbers are reduced and disease is seen recurrently each summer.
We do not yet know what factors influence each of these outcomes.