The only frog in the world that goes 'ribbit' is here in the Pacific Northwest

Fun fact we just learned: The only frog in the world to actually go “ribbit” is right here in the Pacific Northwest.

It’s called the Pacific chorus frog, and Washington made it the official state amphibian in 2007.

Scientists refer to their ribbit as a croak. Males call out to females, and then other males join in. The frogs stop when a female approaches. According to the San Francisco Zoo, “Breeding takes place at night, near shallow water, typically after rainfall.”

The zoo explains that the frog’s vocal sac can swell to three times the size of its head. The zoo adds that, “Aggressive encounters between adult male Pacific Chorus Frogs are common.”

These ribbiting frogs live down the West Coast, from southern British Columbia (Canada) to southern California, from sea to 10,000 feet above sea level. They have disappeared from San Francisco, however.

“Due to pollution, introduced species, habitat fragmentation, and destruction, Pacific chorus frogs have almost disappeared from San Francisco,” the zoo writes on its website.