The AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) has designated 2008 as Year of the Frog. One-third of all known amphibian species are currently facing extinction, a number which is hard to wrap one's mind around, but think if one-third of the planet's mammals were facing extinction? One of the best ways I've heard this crisis simplified is to think of amphibians as the nuts and bolts of an airplane. If we start losing the nuts and bolts eventually the plane will fall apart. I could go on and talk about amphibians as bio-indicators, providers of biomedicines and vital components of ecosystems (think of the pest-control they provide), but I don't want to be pushy and prefer to keep the theme of this blog cheery. We have five new exhibits at work addressing these issues and here a couple websites for those wanting to learn more: AZA and Amphibian ArkLots of zoos and aquariums opened special exhibits and displays on Leap Day and will continue to do special amphibian and frog related programs throughout 2008 to continue to raise awareness. Check out the zoo by you!
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