African bullfrogs are large, with some reaching dinner-plate size. They inhabit open country primarily at low elevations. Carnivorous, they eat other frogs and birds. ©Kelley Minars, flickr

It’s not easy being green, as Kermit the Frog often reminds us. And that statement is particularly apropos if you’re an African bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus).

Found mostly in open grasslands and at low elevations in the sub-Saharan African countries of Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rhodesia, Somalia, South Africa (except for the southwestern Cape Province), the Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia, this football-size frog engages in intense, bashing battles during breeding season. But this amphibian also has a softer side, especially when it comes to offspring. Watch as this male frog saves the lives of many, many children.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, you might want to reserve a bit of admiration for this “green” dad on June 19.

Here’s to finding your true places and natural habitats,

Candy