What’s So Great About Frogs?

Frog populations have been declining worldwide at unprecedented rates, and nearly one-third of the world’s amphibian species are threatened with extinction.

Frogs are an indicator species
Frogs have permeable skin, which allows them to breath and drink through their skin. It also means they can absorb unhealthy pollutants from the environment. Frogs lead a duel life–on land and in water–so frogs are the go to species for scientists to learn about the health of an ecosystem.

Frogs are important to the food chain
Throughout the life cycle of a frog, they play an important role in the natural food chain as both predators and prey. This means if their habitat is damaged, many other animals are impacted. As tadpoles, they feed on algae, which cleans the water. Once full-grown, frogs feed on lots of insects, which helps to control bug populations (especially mosquitoes!) When frogs aren’t busy eating things, they are being eaten, serving as a tasty meal for lots of animals like fish, snakes, coyotes, fox, birds, and in some places, people.

Frogs are important in medical research
Frogs produce a wide array of skin secretions, many of which have significant potential to improve human health. When a frog species disappears, so does any promise it holds for improving human health.

What you can do to help the frogs

Learn about them
Don’t pollute
Volunteer to keep waterways clean
Find a frog pond and listen to them
Share what you know
Join the campaign to “Save the Frogs“

Image: “Frogs” by Mathias Liffers, Creative Commons

Eco-guide to living lighter

Save the Frogs Day, April 25

Save the Frogs Day, April 25

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