We believe that when it comes to environmental stewardship, children are naturals. Given that, we are always on the lookout for ways to support kids in their interest in the environment. There is so much that can be done to make a difference. An organization called Save the Frogs! has done a wonderful job in working with kids and adults in its effort to……save frogs and the environment. We find their work inspiring.
Frogs might not be as warm and fuzzy as polar bears, or as charismatic as dolphins (well, maybe they are!), but most people agree that these musical, mysterious creatures are pretty cool. And just like polar bears and dolphins, frogs are in danger of extinction. Hotter temperatures, chemicals in water, and loss of species are just some of the factors threatening these sensitive animals. Thankfully, a group has sprung up that is dedicated just to saving frogs and their cousins, toads and salamanders. Save the Frogs! gives the frog-lover in your family many creative ways to help out http://savethefrogs.com/how-to-help/index.html, from eating local, organic food and using rechargeable batteries to entering an art or poetry contest to help spread awareness.
The great thing about saving frogs is that you’re helping the environment as a whole at the same time. How, you ask? Well, frogs are a sort of “canary in the coal mine.” Miners used to take canaries into mine shafts because they were more sensitive to toxic fumes than humans, and could alert humans to danger. Frogs have skins designed to let in moisture, but the skins also let in chemicals. This makes them very sensitive, like canaries, to things that are also dangerous to humans and other animals. So if we start making the world a better place for frogs, we’re improving it for ourselves, too.
Ecologist, Dr. Kerry Kriger, started Save the Frogs! in 2008 to spread the word that frogs are “cool, in trouble and worth saving.” He also started an annual international event called Save the Frogs Day, which happens in April. He thinks it’s one of the best ways to spread the word to as many people as possible, and so far he seems to be on the right track. We thought it would be interesting to hear from Kerry himself. He was kind enough to answer our questions on short notice. Here is the interview.
AC: Lots of people think frogs are cool, but can you tell everyone why they need a whole organization dedicated to saving them?
KK: Frogs are the most rapidly disappearing animals on the planet. If we don’t take significant measures to protect them, thousands of amphibian species will be lost over the next few decades. Frogs are critical members of the food web; they eat insects that carry infectious diseases; many of our medical advances come from research on frogs; and they are bio-indicator species sensitive to environmental change, currently telling us something is wrong in the ecosystems and needs to be fixed. Furthermore, many of the threats frogs face are common with those of other wildlife groups; so in saving the frogs, we save many other species – including ourselves. We all depend on clean air, clean water, clean soil and the work of SAVE THE FROGS! brings all those things closer to reality.
AC: What role can kids play in saving frogs?
KK: Kids are the future of environmental conservation efforts, and the better job we do of getting them interested in protecting nature, the better off our environment will be in the long-term. Even right now though, kids are important, as adults actually tend to listen to what kids say more than they listen to what other adults say! So when kids get active, people pay attention and have trouble saying no:-)
AC: What’s the best way for kids to interact with frogs?
KK: Take a walk outside with a flashlight one night during the rainy season. Head for a local pond. Listen and look. Seeing wild frogs in their native habitats is the best way to gain a true appreciation for frogs.
AC: What are the main things kids and their families can do to help frogs?
KK: The best way to start is to look at our website which has over 250 pages of free educational materials on frogs, including a How To Help page with 50+ ways to help, and a page for students and teachers. Getting the word out to teachers is incredibly important, and our site provides lots of free educational materials for students and teachers.
AC: We love the idea of the frog pond contest: where did that come from?
KK: I was at a conference for nonprofits hosted at Google’s headquarters, speaking with an employee from VolunteerMatch. He noticed how our info cards suggested people build frog ponds, and he said that makes a perfect volunteer position: pond builder. The idea for the contest came from that discussion.
AC: What are some of the best ponds that have come out of that?
KK: The winning pond from the 1st Annual Build A Frog Pond Contest is from Visitaction Valley Middle School in San Francisco. They built a neat gate over top of it that can be locked down to keep kids out: successfully addressing a safety concern some schools have. The gate also keeps raccoons out, protecting the frogs. The school now has Pacific Chorus Frogs breeding in the pond.
AC: How can people get involved?
KK: The 4th Annual Save The Frogs Day will be April 28th, 2012. Last year our supporters held 143 events in 21 countries, and we’d like to have over 200 events this time around. The Save The Frogs Day webpage (www.savethefrogs.com/day) lists all types of ways that schools and people can get involved.
AC: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about Save The Frogs?
KK: SAVE THE FROGS! is a 501(c)(3) public charity and we depend on your support to grow our movement, save frogs, and create a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. We welcome everybody to become an Official Member of SAVE THE FROGS! (www.savethefrogs.com/members) and to spread the word about our organization to everyone they know. Thanks!