Saving Local Frogs and Amphibians

Personal encounter with new (for me) species enhances awareness of local frogs and amphibians and the need to protect the whole ecosystem.

Last night I rescued a frog from my kitchen. Which got me thinking about how little I knew about local frogs. As avid birders we have multiple bird books, know which birds in our area are threatened or endangered and what is critical habitat for them. But aside from the voices of spring peepers and bullfrogs, I am pitifully uneducated on frogs and other amphibians.

Behind a maze of odds and ends on the counter I found a small and, very handsome, grayish green and black frog. After letting him go in the backyard, a quick internet search found the grey tree frog (Hyla versicolor) was the most likely match. I had added a new species to my wildlife knowledge.

And had been reminded of the importance of campaigns like Five for Frogs which is working to educate all of us about the threats to frogs and other amphibians everywhere. They keep us informed about new species being discovered and ways that each of us can help.

If someone like myself, who has been involved with wildlife issues for many years, is so lacking in knowledge about a species that lives in my backyard, it is likely that others are as well.

And while my gardening (or lack thereof) is wildlife friendly there are probably things I can do to make it better for frogs and other amphibians. Let’s all make it a point to learn about one species a week in our own neighborhood. And then do something to protect it and its habitat.