Being at the centre on the pond in breeding season proves you are the dominant male and therefore more likely to get a mate – you’ve just got to fight off the competition first.
This incredible, close-up BBC Earth footage reveals male African bullfrogs surging towards the centre, wrestling for prized position. Their resonant calls echo across the water, drawing in potential mates and competitors.
Latecomers run the gauntlet. But even when a male does reach the centre, victory doesn't last long. New contenders arrive, ready to test the strength of the previous winner.
Holding the centre means constant combat. The battles are fierce and can even be fatal; bullfrogs hurl themselves at one another, lunging, charging and flipping their opponents.
Females, too, knowing the strongest males are at the centre, make for it. They, however, choose stealth as a strategy – swimming underwater to avoid the chaos.
- Why do frogs scream?
- How to tell the difference between a common frog and a common toad
- Common frog guide: how to identify, what they eat, and how to help them
Watch bullfrogs in the boxing ring
This footage originally appeared in the BBC's The Mating Game.
Main image: Male African bullfrog. Getty Images
