It's Frog Month!

Yay, Frog Month! That magical time that only comes once a year, when frogs are busy courting and the world is busy honoring them!

So, maybe it doesn't work quite like that. Frogs do court during April, but the world pretty much ignores them. Which is too bad, really. Frogs are amazing, and up to this point in time have been unbelievably prolific. Even today there are over 5,500 species of anurans (that's frogs and toads to you and me). But frogs across the world are declining. The reasons are complex: higher levels of pollution (frogs are very absorptive critters after all), less of an ozone layer and so more solar radiation, climate change... The list is endless, and can seem overwhelming. But fear not! As a frog advocate, I'm here to tell you about some things that might make a difference to frogs. Won't you join me in celebrating Frog Month?

Let's start with an easy one: just spread the word! Many people don't ever spare a thought for frogs. It's an over-used metaphore, but frogs really are something of the "canary in the coal mine". Environmental hazards hit them before they hit other animals, humans included. But that doesn't mean that we don't drink the same water, breath the same air, and eat the same foods as our amphibian friends. Well, maybe we don't eat the same foods. But we do ingest many of the same pesticides! So just by making choices that are good for frogs and encouraging others to do the same, we can create a world that's more livable for us. It's a simple test: is that weed killer going to seep into the water supply and poison a frog? Well, then you probably don't want to drink it either. Think about frogs while you shop, and I guarantee you'll make more environmentally friendly purchases. Want to learn more? Visit Save the Frogs for more frog facts than you could shake a frog-egg-laden sodden branch at!

I'll be running frog-heavy blog posts throughout the month of April, so check back if you're a frog fan. If you happen to be a ranidaphobic (that would be a frog-fearer), on the other hand, consider yourself warned! And happy Frog Month!

All photos from Save the Frogs