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Citizen Scientists Wanted to Help Monitor Frog Populations

Why does it matter? Because frog and toad populations are declining, and that's a dire indicator about the health of wetlands.

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Beth Dalbey, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

ROYAL OAK, MI – Go ahead and take the leap. You, too, can be a scientist.

The Detroit Zoological Society is offering southeast Michigan residents the chance to join the local chapter of FrogWatch USA, a citizen science program that teaches volunteers how to identify frogs and toads by their breeding calls and to gather and record data that supports a national network.

“We already know about the extinctions and crises amphibians face globally, but we also need to keep tabs on what’s happening in our own back yards,” DZS Chief Life Sciences Officer Scott Carter said in a statement. “This program allows us to monitor our native amphibians and make sure their populations are healthy.”

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FrogWatch volunteers choose from locations throughout the tri-county area and monitor the sites for several weeks. Their observations provide valuable insight into whether amphibians in the region are declining or increasing or if new species are being found in areas where they have not been identified before.

“FrogWatch is a unique opportunity for our community to join the Detroit Zoo in helping amphibians,” Carter said.

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FrogWatch training classes for 2016 will be offered free of charge at the Detroit Zoo’s Ford Education Center on the following dates:

  • Sunday, Jan. 31, noon to 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 11, 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 20, noon to 4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Feb. 23, 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 2, 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 12, 8 a.m. to noon

Why is it important?

Both predator and prey, frogs and toads are key indicators of the environmental health of wetland ecosystems, but have been seen dramatic population declines, both in the United States and around the world, according to FrogWatch USA.

Monitoring local populations helps scientists understand the scope, geographic scale, and cause of these declines.

For more information or to register for FrogWatch, contact DZS Associate Curator of Amphibians Rebecca Johnson at rjohnson@dzs.org.

FrogWatch USA is a collaborative effort among the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums throughout the country.The program allows individuals and families to learn about the wetlands in their communities and to contribute to the conservation of amphibians.

» Photo by e_monk via Flickr / Creative Commons

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