2014 Canada 25 Cent Flower & Fauna Water Lily and Leopard Frog Cupronickel

Found in Canadian province and Territory except Yukon and Nunavut, the leopard frog is aptly named for the irregularly shaped black spots that dot its brown, greenish-brown, or green skin. It lives in a variety of habitats including wetlands in prairies and woodlands insummer for feeding. In the fall it usually moves toponds, streams, and rivers which do not freeze to the bottom. In the spring it emerges to seek out ponds and marshes for breeding. It is there that the tadpoles will develop.
The leopard frog consumes nearly any animal that fits in its mouth, be it insects, worms, smaller frogs and even birds or garter snakes. The hunter becomes the hunted if it encounters predators such as fish, watersnakes, turtles, herons, raccoons or even larger frogs.
These freshwater perennials are remarkable plants. At the surface, theirbuoyant evergreen leaves form a canopy that become resting places for dragonflies, beetles and even small turtles. Nine species are native to Canada, including the widespread yellow pond lily. Often dotted with a large, fragrant blossom that opens in the morning sun and closes in the afternoon, these plants are anchored to the muddy lakebed by a long stalk. A glimpse underneath these lily pads reveals a wealth of wildlife competing for cover, making these plants essential to their aquatic ecosystems.