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The SAVE THE FROGS! mission remains an urgent one, given that about one-third of the world’s amphibian species are on the verge of extinction. SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger was recently interviewed on the Edgar Ortega Radio Show to discuss frog conservation. It was an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics important to SAVE THE FROGS! and amphibian conservation.
Listen to the interview here:
A global mission to protect amphibians
Edgar Ortega mentioned that his own interest in SAVE THE FROGS! came about from seeing some of the fascinating videos posted by SAVE THE FROGS! concerning projects in different parts of the world. As Dr. Kriger highlights in the interview, the global approach is central to the SAVE THE FROGS! philosophy. In fact, as Dr. Kriger was in Santiago, Chile at the time of the interview, it was an opportunity to educate listeners that South America has the highest biodiversity of amphibians.
Dr. Kriger spoke about how his interest in frog conservation stemmed from his childhood spending time at a pond built on his family’s property, and through camping and how it eventually led to a career in environmental science research. The more time he spent in the field, the more he realised how important frogs were to the environment. As his research progressed, he found that he was equipping himself with a unique set of skills that could help in preserving these fascinating creatures for future generations. Yet, there was no dedicated organization devoted to protecting amphibians and public education on amphibian conservation was severely lacking. So, in 2008, SAVE THE FROGS! was born, to fill the gaps that existed and to protect amphibians. Nowadays SAVE THE FROGS! has chapters all over the world, including in areas with vibrant amphibian populations such as West Africa.
Western Toad (Bufo boreas) photo courtesy of Beth Pratt
Do you know the six key threats to frogs?
Although the importance may vary by location, globally, the dangers to frogs can be summarized in terms of six key threats:
1. Habitat destruction
2. Pollution and pesticides
3. Climate change
4. Infectious diseases (e.g. the fungal disease chytridiomycosis)
5. Removing frogs from the wild (e.g. to eat, keep as pets or to use in the lab)
6. Non-native invasive species upsetting the ecological balance (e.g. American Bullfrogs, trout and mosquito fish in parts of the world where they do not belong)
SAVE THE FROGS! regularly communicates and educates people on these issues and posts detailed information on the savethefrogs.com website. A highlight every year is Save The Frogs Day in April, where people work at a community level across the world to encourage amphibian conservation. Participants, from all walks of life get involved and are encouraged to be creative and have fun while working for this important cause.
Everybody has the power to SAVE THE FROGS!
SAVE THE FROGS! is involved in numerous educational projects both through online and in-person formats, to raise awareness of the problem and inspire people to protect amphibians. As part of these diverse efforts, SAVE THE FROGS! runs ecotours and frogging expeditions in Latin America, which allow people to observe amphibians in their native habitats. Other programs focus on building wetlands and restoring damaged habitats in the USA and Ghana (West Africa). SAVE THE FROGS! empowers people with the tools and training to make a real contribution to amphibian conservation. Since its humble start, SAVE THE FROGS! has grown by leaps and bounds but needs your support to carry out its vital, global mission.
To support SAVE THE FROGS!, please place a tax-deductible donation via:
www.savethefrogs.com/donate
Thanks to the Edgar Ortega Radio Show for inviting Dr. Kriger from SAVE THE FROGS! to discuss the work of SAVE THE FROGS! and the importance of protecting amphibians.
Frog icon by Nick Gustafson