I’m what you might call a “frog freak.” I’ve been enamored with these jumpy little creatures with big beady eyes and wide smiles for as long as I can remember. I spent endless summer days catching as many lithe leopard frogs, tiny toadlets, and giant bullfrogs as I could from the pond in front of my family’s house in upstate New York. This love of frogs was just a fond pastime until one pivotal research trip to Costa Rica during my undergraduate career, when I learned from a resident PhD student that herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) were in dire need of research because of enigmatic declines occurring all over the world. Realizing I could turn this passion for amphibians into a meaningful career, I resolved to champion the slimy, creepy animals that cause many to recoil in fear or disgust, and proudly informed my loved ones that I would be a Herpetologist, and I would do everything I could to help save the frogs.
But why do frogs need to be saved? Many amphibians, as their name suggests, lead a dual life: they spend some time in aquatic environments and some time on land. In our part of the world, many of these species proliferate by breeding in ponds or vernal pools, developing from aquatic larvae into terrestrial froglets, growing up in damp, relatively stable environments, and then starting the cycle all over. They also have very permeable skin (giving them their famous slimy appearance), which allows them to efficiently respirate and osmoregulate cutaneously. This feature is key to why these creatures are declining and why they tend to be a popular study animal for many conservation biologists: amphibians (as well as many of their ectothermic reptilian relatives) are extremely vulnerable to habitat alteration, including fragmentation, climate change, pollution, and disease introductions. For this reason, many have suggested that these sensitive animals may serve as important biological indicators of ecosystem health. Furthermore, recent research suggests that the loss of these animals may have cascading effects throughout their native ecosystems, due to their central position in food chains as well as their roles in connecting aquatic and terrestrial nutrient cycles.
So, now you’re all ready to hop on the frog conservation train, right? Well, lucky for you, the new UM Herpetology Club will be holding a “Save the Frogs Day” next Friday, April 4th from 12-5pm. Save the Frogs (STF) is an international organization aimed at raising awareness and funding for amphibian conservation. Visit our table in the Dana Commons to learn more about the issues facing frogs worldwide, sign petitions that benefit local frog conservation, buy “amphibious” baked goods or STF merch (all donations go directly to frog conservation projects), and even craft your own frog costume! Following this event, we will take our party to Mash (211 E. Washington) for a “herpy” hour where we can show off our frog costumes and celebrate our web-toed friends. Go to www.savethefrogs.com for more information. Hope to see you there!
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