One Giant Leap for Frogkind

In their native Cameroon in West Africa, goliath frogs are said to leap respectable streams in single bounds of 30 to 40 feet. So it seems Rosie the Ribbiter’s three-jump record of 21 feet, 5 3/4 inches set four years ago in Calaveras County’s Jumping Frog Jubilee is certain to be broken in the May 17-20 jump-off. Right?

But wait. Crafty jubilee organizers ruled that the giant frogs--some of which stretch three feet--can compete only if they can fit all four feet on a regular eight-inch launching pad, as their smaller California competitors do.

The giants are being coached to do that by Seattle animal importer Andy J. Koffman, who found the goliaths on a tributary of the Sanaga River in Cameroon and imported them to compete in the contest that inspired Mark Twain’s short story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”