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State Looking for Friends of Frogs Volunteers Are Sought to Help Find If Amphibians' Numbers Are Down

Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 00:00 CDT

At a zoo or maybe even on a trip down the Amazon River are places people might consider if looking for exotic frogs -- but a rural road in Indiana?

The state is home to 17 species of frogs and toads. Although they may not be as brightly colored as some of their South American cousins, their names are certainly colorful.

Spring peepers, Eastern spadefoot toad, chorus frog and leopard frog are just a few of the critters that add their voices to the sounds of Hoosier spring and summer nights. Many live right here in Southern Indiana.

However, America's amphibians may not be quite as plentiful as they used to be. The problem is that there isn't much hard data to show it.

"There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of declines," said Linda Weir, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. "We don't actually know a heck of a lot about how amphibians are doing. You do have information like that when talking about game animals and songbirds."

Since 2001, the federal agency has spearheaded the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program, in hopes of gathering the kind of hard facts that can give a truer picture of the situation. The program works in cooperation with various regional agencies and groups.

That is why the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is hoping to find a few people willing to get to know the state's frogs and toads a little better.

The answer to why amphibian populations might be declining could have implications for other wildlife and even people, said Kacie Ehrenberger, a Department of Natural Resources wildlife diversity staff specialist.

"They are like the canary in the coal mine. If there is a problem with amphibians it is usually an indicator that there is something wrong," she said. "They breathe through their skin, so they can take in pollutants from air and water."

Over the last 50 years, many species of frogs, toads, salamanders and newts have been declining noticeably worldwide, according to the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the issue. The declining populations apparently even extend into areas such as national parks and nature preserves typically thought to be among the most pristine habitats.

Understanding the problem requires a good 10 years of data to map out trends in amphibian populations, Weir said.

In Indiana, Ehrenberger said, frog and toad populations seem to be doing well. Only one of the 17 species known to live in Indiana, the crawfish frog, is a state endangered species, she said.

She said the state still needs volunteers to participate in the program in Posey, Gibson, Spencer and Perry counties. Volunteers are responsible for learning the calls of the various species and collecting data three times a year during the spring and summer mating season.

A training session will be held at the University of Evansville on Sept. 17.

People interested in finding out more can contact Ehrenberger at (317) 234-3361.

Source: Evansville Courier & Press

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