What Were You Doing on Save The Frogs Day?

Illustration courtesy of Save the Frogs.com

Save The Frogs Day was celebrated this year on Saturday, April 30 with hundreds of events planned all around the globe. It is very encouraging to see that so many people care about amphibians and are acting on behalf of threatened and endangered frogs and toads. Preserving habitat is so critical to their survival. Protecting and supporting wetlands rather than draining them is absolutely vital. 

One easy thing we can do if we live in built-up areas where roads and highways intersect habitat is to be mindful of the fact that we actually share the road with other species. These small animals face incredible danger on a busy road and, unfortunately, they can't know what it is they are crossing.

So it is up to us to be cautious, caring and mindful. Slowing down, keeping to the speed limit and even stopping (safely!) to help a toad across the road - these are all ways in which we can reduce needless amphibian deaths.

And that mindfulness should extend to all animals, large or small, especially this time of year when their activity is heightened. They are out foraging for food, building nests and looking after young.

So be careful out there this spring. Watch out for deer, raccoons, opossum, squirrels, voles and moles, turtles and snakes.

And a special note for Londoners: Please slow down, people, along Harry White Drive at White Oak Road! White's Wetland ESA takes up the entire northeast corner and is home to all of the above! Obey the speed limit and/or reduce speeds. Please do not interpret "country road" as your license to drive "like a bat out of hell."

The Frog Blog Will Continue!

The pond was really quiet today. The weather was too cold for any decent amphibian spotting. Unseasonably cool here for late April. A bit disappointing after those warm days in March when the frogs were out and the spring peepers singing.

Today the water was still, dark and brown. Little movement. Only one nosy Mallard flew in. A Great Blue Heron patiently hunted in the creek. The only sounds today...the trills of the ubiquitous red-winged blackbirds.

Never fear, pond watching will not stop at White's Wetland. We'll be blogging more about frogs as the weather warms up. It would have been nice to capture some frog sounds today, because a chorus of spring peepers is really something to hear!

Enjoy this autumn shot of the pond instead!

There were 181 events held all over the world today in 37 countries to Save The Frogs. That's inspiring. After today, I am sure, more people than ever are aware of the plight of the world's amphibians. That's good, because awareness and knowledge are critical if we are to save frogs from extinction.

Keep learning about amphibians and keep spreading the word: Save The Frogs!

Save The Frogs Day...is Here!

For a wetland blogger, this is probably THE most important day of the year! Loss of habitat is one of the main reasons why frogs and other amphibians are rapidly disappearing everywhere. It is one of the most insidious mass extinctions in progress. Which is why we desperately need to raise awareness. Frogs need habitat in order to survive, and that means protecting our precious wetlands, swamps, bogs, fens and ponds from being drained for development. Frogs have lived on this planet for 350 million years. Let's not be the cause for their extinction. So let's begin by protecting their habitat. To learn more about the worldwide amphibian crisis, please visit Dr. Kerry Kriger's site: Save the Frogs. Today, there are over 181 events being held across the planet in 37 countries! Astonishing! Amazing! Encouraging! Check out the map and find an event near you!

Saving The World's Disappearing Amphibians

Saving amphibians means saving their habitat, and that means saving wetlands from development and destruction.

Visit Dr. Kerry Kriger's Save The Frogs organization to learn why amphibians are so vitally important to many other species on this planet and how we can help them to survive.

These extraordinary creatures have evolved and diversified over millions of years, but now amphibian populations are on the decline everywhere. Already 200 amphibian species have gone extinct worldwide since 1979. As sensitive bio-indicators of planetary health, this should be telling us something. Amphibians in peril means we are all in peril.

Time to change our destructive ways. Time to raise awareness and time to act.

International Save The Frogs Day is April 28, 2012. We'll be blogging about frogs and tweeting from a real pond all day long! So come back and visit us on April 28th. Ask questions or post comments on White's Wetland "Frog Blog" on April 28th!