Editing African clawed frog (section)

== As pests ==

African clawed frogs are voracious predators and easily adapt to many habitats.<ref>{{cite web |first=James A. |last=Danoff-Burg |url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/xenopus_laevis.htm |title=ADW: Columbia: Introduced Species Summary Project |publisher=Columbia.edu |access-date=8 June 2013}}</ref> For this reason, they can easily become a harmful invasive species. They can travel short distances to other bodies of water, and some have even been documented to survive mild freezes. They have been shown to devastate native populations of frogs and other creatures by eating their young.

In 2003, ''Xenopus laevis'' frogs were discovered in a pond at [[San Francisco]]'s [[Golden Gate Park]]. Much debate now exists in the area on how to exterminate these creatures and keep them from spreading.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.foxnews.com/story/killer-meat-eating-frogs-terrorize-san-francisco | work = FoxNews | title = Killer Meat-Eating Frogs Terrorize San Francisco | date = 14 March 2007 | access-date = 13 March 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019004238/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258519,00.html | archive-date = 19 October 2012 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/THE-KILLER-FROGS-OF-LILY-POND-San-Francisco-2610411.php |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |title=The Killer Frogs of Lily Pond:San Francisco poised to checkmate amphibious African predators of Golden Gate Park |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606100110/http://sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/THE-KILLER-FROGS-OF-LILY-POND-San-Francisco-2610411.php |archive-date=6 June 2013 |url-status = live}}</ref> It is unknown if these frogs entered the San Francisco ecosystem through intentional release or escape into the wild. San Francisco officials drained Lily Pond and fenced off the area to prevent the frogs from escaping to other ponds in the hopes they starve to death.

Due to incidents in which these frogs were released and allowed to escape into the wild, African clawed frogs are illegal to own, transport or sell without a permit in the following US states: Arizona, California, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Hawaii,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/07/03/news/story14.html |title=ADW: Honolulu Star-Bulletin Wednesday, July 3, 2002 |publisher=Archives.starbulletin.com |date=3 July 2002 |access-date=8 June 2013}}</ref> Nevada, and Washington state. However, it is legal to own ''Xenopus laevis'' in New Brunswick (Canada) and Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gnb.ca/0062/regs/92-74.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819075642/http://www.gnb.ca/0062/regs/92-74.htm|title=ADW: New Brunswick Regulation 92-74|archive-date=19 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gnb.ca/0062/acts/ |title=ADW: New Brunswick Acts and regulations |publisher=Gnb.ca |access-date=8 June 2013}}</ref>

Feral colonies of ''Xenopus laevis'' exist in [[South Wales]], [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite web |first=John |last=Measey |url=http://www.bcb.uwc.ac.za/presents/focuson/frogs/feral.htm |title=Feral ''Xenopus laevis'' in South Wales, UK |publisher=Bcb.uwc.ac.za |access-date=8 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316220048/http://www.bcb.uwc.ac.za/presents/focuson/frogs/feral.htm |archive-date=16 March 2012 }}</ref> In [[Yunnan]], [[China]], there is a population of albino clawed frogs in [[Kunming Lake|Lake Kunming]], along with another invasive: the [[American bullfrog]]. Because this population is albino, it suggests that the clawed frogs originated in the pet trade or a laboratory.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Supen |last2=Yufeng |last3=Measey |first=Wang |first2=Hong |first3=John|date=3 May 2019|title=An established population of African clawed frogs, ''Xenopus laevis'' (Daudin, 1802), in mainland China|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332835232|journal=BioInvasions Records|volume=8|via=ResearchGate |doi=10.3391/bir.2019.8.2.29}}</ref>

The African clawed frog may be an important [[Vector (epidemiology)|vector]] and the initial source of ''[[Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis]]'', a [[chytrid fungus]] that has been implicated in the drastic [[decline in amphibian populations]] in many parts of the world.<ref name=Chytrid/> Unlike in many other amphibian species (including the closely related [[western clawed frog]]) where this chytrid fungus causes the disease [[Chytridiomycosis]], it does not appear to affect the African clawed frog, making it an effective carrier.<ref name=Chytrid/>

===Invasive===
The African clawed frog is considered invasive by the Centre of Invasive biology from Stellenbosh University with this species even going as far as predating on other species. There has even been a concerted effort to remove this species to ensure the survival of other indigenous species.