LIFE 3n-Bullfrog

LIFE-3n bullfrog is a European LIFE project, with the main goal of finding a sustainable method to stop the spread of the American bullfrog in Flanders, particularly in the main population located in the valley of the Grote Nete. The official title of the project is “The sterile triploid method for population control of aquatic invasive fauna: pilot project on American bullfrog”. The project combines traditionally used control techniques to stop the spread of American bullfrogs in Flanders with a new technique, namely the release of sterile triploid (3n) frogs. In a triploid frog, every cell contains three chromosones instead of the usual two, making the animals sterile. After years of research, scientists at the PXL University have succeeded in breeding sterile triploid frogs.

The project was officially launched in October 2019 and will run until March 2025. You can follow its progress here, on facebook or twitter! Life 3n bullfrog is a collaboration between the PXL University, the Research Institute Nature and Forest, the Agency for Nature and Forests of the Flemish Government and Natuurpunt. The project has received funding from the LIFE programme of the European Union (LIFE18 NAT/BE/001016) and from Antwerp province.
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