Brandywine Zoo - What's New at the Zoo

What Is Year of The Frog?

Top Eight Ways to Help Frogs

Kermit The Frog Goes to Washington

Frog Jokes, Facts and Books

Meet Your Neighborhood Toad - The American Toad

Make a Toad Abode

What is Year of the Frog?

2008 is the Year of the Frog! More than 70 members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), including the Brandywine Zoo, will be holding fun, family-friendly events and programs to educate people about amphibian conservation.

Why Year of the Frog? Frogs are going extinct. In fact, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimates that at least one-third of known amphibian species are threatened with extinction.

While the major culprit has historically been habitat loss and degradation, many of the declines and extinctions are now being attributed to the rapidly dispersing infectious disease chytridiomycosis, which is caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd is causing population and species extinctions at an alarming rate.

The Brandywine Zoo and other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, with demonstrated expertise in endangered species breeding programs, have been called upon to meet this conservation challenge. The AZA will play a major role in addressing the amphibian extinction crisis - one of the most sweeping wildlife conservation challenges of our time. Read more about efforts to save the frogs.

Top Eight Ways to Help Frogs

Frogs are going extinct. So are toads, salamanders, newts, and the intriguingly unusual caecilians. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is highlighting 2008 as the Year of the Frog to mark a major conservation effort to address the amphibian extinction crisis. The Brandywine Zoo is partnering with the AZA in this initiative to help you learn more about how you can become a friend to frogs.

1. Look, listen, and learn: educate yourself and your family about amphibians.

With more than 6,000 frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians worldwide, there's a lot to learn. Pick up a book, hop around the Internet, or watch your favorite animal television show to educate yourself and your family about amphibians.

2. Visit the Brandywine Zoo and experience your very own amphibian adventure!

AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are helping to save frogs and other amphibians through breeding programs and by providing support for field conservation. They are also some of the best places to see and learn about amphibians from around the world. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.

3. Create amphibian friendly environments by providing clean water, hiding places, and insects to eat.

Prime amphibian real estate includes leaf litter, rocks, logs, and a source of water - backyard ponds make a great family project!

4. Don't pollute.

Do your part to keep garbage, chemicals, and non-native plants and animals out of the natural environment. Amphibians absorb chemicals through their skin easily. They also fall prey to non-native species.

5. Be a responsible pet owner.

Discourage your canine and feline family members from pestering wildlife especially amphibians and birds. Curious cats and digging dogs cause a lot of stress for frightened amphibians. If you or your pet encounters an amphibian, study, look, listen, and then leave it where it is.

6. Conserve water at home, school, and work.

Save water by using collected rainwater for watering gardens and potted plants. The water you save now remains a clean habitat for wild amphibians without being chemically treated.

7. Reduce the use of fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas.

Climate change is impacting amphibian populations worldwide. By using less energy or choosing renewable sources of energy, you can help slow the rate of climate change. Drive less, buy fuel-efficient cars, and use compact fluorescent light bulbs!

8. Be an amphibian champion.

Donate to wildlife conservation programs, such as the AZA Amphibian Fund. Participate in citizen-science monitoring programs with your family. Be aware of legislation affecting wildlife and their habitat, global warming, and land use and development issues.

To learn more and to pledge to be a Friend to Frogs, visit www.aza.org/yearofthefrog.

Kermit The Frog Goes to Washington

Kermit the Frog and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums brought the Year of the Frog initiative to Capitol Hill, educating Members of Congress about the key role of zoos and aquariums in addressing the amphibian extinction crisis.

"The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has declared 2008 the Year of the Frog; and with good reason. A fungus, which kills 80 percent of exposed frogs, toads and salamanders, has spread to every continent," said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. "One-third of all amphibians on the planet could be lost because of this fungus and other threats."

Habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species continue to threaten amphibian populations. But the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) presents a unique conservation challenge. Hundreds of amphibian species will die if left in their native habitats. They can only be saved if they are collected and housed in bio-secure facilities until answers can be found.

Lending critical support to the effort, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund has made a $250,000 donation to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Amphibian Fund, which will support the urgent need to research, house, and care for hundreds of amphibians threatened with extinction.

"In addition to lending their scientific expertise, accredited zoos and aquariums are serving as environmental educators, reaching 157 million visitors each year," said Dr. Jackie Ogden, Vice President for Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives at Walt Disney World and Disney's Animal Kingdom. "Disney hopes that those visitors, and everyone who cares about our planet, will contribute to the AZA Amphibian Fund too and help double the donation to save the frogs."

"Disney's conservation leadership will enable zoos and aquariums, partnered with international conservation organizations, to respond on an unprecedented scale," Maddy added. "Accredited zoos and aquariums have the unique scientific knowledge to prevent the mass extinction of amphibians. Disney has provided critical resources to jumpstart the mission, and now we are taking our message to Congress to generate Federal support."

Zoo and aquarium visitors everywhere are participating in year-long educational activities including leapfrog contests, frog calling, zookeeper and aquarist talks, amphibian scavenger hunts, salamander habitat investigations, and close encounters with colorful and unusual amphibians.

"Going to your local AZA-accredited zoo and aquariums is a great way for families to support wildlife conservation and have a great time doing it," said Maddy.

The Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund (DWCF) was established in 1995 on Earth Day (April 22) as a global awards program for the study and protection of the world's wildlife and ecosystems. It provides annual awards to US nonprofit conservation organizations working alongside their peers in other countries. In 1998, as Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park opened, the DWCF made its first grants. Since then, the DWCF has supported 650 projects with more than $11 million in grants to organizations and individuals working in 110 countries.

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, the AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. To find the accredited zoo or aquarium near you, visit www.aza.org.

Frog Jokes, Facts & Books

FROG Jokes

Q: What kind of shoes do frogs wear?
A: Open toad!

Q: What happens when two frogs collide?
A: They get tongue tied!

Q: What did the frog say to the fly?
A: You are really starting to bug me!

Q: Why are frogs good at baseball?
A: Because they catch a lot of fly balls.

Q: Why did the frog say meow?
A: He was learning a foreign language.

FROG Facts

Did You Know?

The Bull Frog is the largest True Frog in North America. It can weigh up to 1.2 lbs, and grow up to 18 inches long.
Frogs have teeth on their upper jaws but none on their lower, while toads have no teeth.
Toads have relatively short legs and lack the jumping ability and range of frogs.
You cannot get warts from toads or frogs.

FROG Books we recommend

The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner, illustrated by Jonathan Lambert
One, Two, Three, Jump by Penelope Lively, illustrated by Jan Ormerod
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Frogs and the Ballet by Donald Elliott, illustrated by Clinton Arrowood
All About Frogs by Jim Arnosky

Your Neighbor: The American Toad

By Janey Kramlik, Animal Keeper, Brandywine Zoo

If you have come across a toad in your yard or in the local park recently, chances are that it was an American toad (Bufo americanus) because it is the most widespread toad species in North America. Don't worry, these toads are helpful little insect controllers and you won't get warts from touching one (just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly if you must touch one since they excrete toxins through their skin)!

The American toad is found throughout the United States and parts of Canada, including right here in the Delmarva Peninsula. In the wild, these toads can be expected to live from less than 1 year to 10 years. The average lifespan of an American toad in captivity is 5 years. American toads range in size from 2-3.5 inches in length from nose to vent, and have short, stout bodies. The top of these toads is usually brown in color with dark brown spots and 1-2 warts in each of the dorsal spots. Their underbelly is white or yellow and the throat of the male is black, rather than the tan throats found in females.

Since these particular toads easily adapt to a variety of surroundings, as long as there is a water source, they have been able to successfully colonize where land has been developed for human use. American toads require a water source for laying their eggs in, and dense vegetation or ground covering to hide and hunt in. Males, which are smaller than females, will emerge from their winter hibernation underground and seek out an appropriate breeding territory. Once the male has found a suitable breeding area with a nearby water source, he will begin to call for a female. The call of each species of toad is unique. The American toad call is a 5-30 second long high pitched shrill produced by a single vocal sac. This call can be commonly heard from March to June, and sometimes into July. Even though American toads are nocturnal, or active at night, during peak breeding season, the males will call during the night and day to increase their chances of a female choosing them. After breeding, the female will lay her 4,000-8,000 eggs in two rows in long spiral tubes of jelly near vegetation in water. The eggs take 3-12 days to hatch into tadpoles, depending upon the temperature. The tadpoles have gills to help them breathe in the water, a tail to aid in swimming since they have no legs yet, and a layer of toxic chemicals to help protect them from predation. After 40-70 days, the tadpoles develop into adults with lungs and legs. American toads reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years.

American toad tadpoles are mainly herbivores, eating aquatic vegetation, such as algae, but will also eat decaying fish and even occasionally other tadpoles. Adults are carnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, invertebrates, and small mammals. Toads do not drink water; they actually soak in the water and absorb the moisture through their skin. It is for this reason that they are extremely susceptible to toxins and pollutants, such as fertilizer and insecticides in water.

The largest restricting factor to the lifespan of American toads is predation from other animals. Although American toads excrete a powerful toxin from glands on their backs that is capable of hurting and even killing some animals, there are animals that have found ways around this toxin. Eastern hog-nosed snakes, water snakes, garter snakes, occasionally ducks, crows, screech owls, raccoons, and striped skunks easily eat American toads. Another threat to these toads is humans. Cars kill hundreds of American toads on roadways during peak breeding time. Pollutants and acid rain can deform and even kill these toads as well.

Want to help these toads? Here are a few things that you can do to for American toads:

Avoid touching toads when you find them. Anything on your hands can be absorbed into the toad through its skin and be detrimental to the toad.
Keep pets from catching toads. This is for the safety of both toad and pet.
Set up "toad huts" in your garden, yard, or ground covering using pieces of log, sticks, plants, or commercially available products (Yes, there are actually "toad huts" for sale!).
Watch for toads on wet or dark roadways, especially during peak breeding times.
Restrict your use of pesticides and fertilizers.
Check out your local wildlife refuge, nature center, or come to the zoo to learn more about American toads.
Participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Year of the Frog events by checking out their website www.aza.org.

Help a Toad. Make a Toad Abode!

Every toad needs a home. So go and build one!
Materials Needed:
One clay pot, paint or paint pens

Length of Activity:
15-20 minutes

Procedure:
Paint the pot as desired, once the paint has dried try to find an area of damp dirt that is usually covered by shade during the day. Areas that are frequently watered by sprinklers, near gutter downspouts, or dripping drains on air conditioning units will work great. The moisture and shade will create a nice environment for your new neighbor, and the toad will use the dirt to customize its own bed. Place the pot in the desired location and prop up one side with a small rock. Be careful not to touch or move the abode too much as you may spook any toads interesting in making the abode their home. Also, they have very porous skin so you'll want to avoid toxic chemicals that are occasionally sprayed on lawns. Hopefully, a toad will make the abode their home!