Why frogs are essential

March 20 may be “World Frog Day”, but we think every day is a good day to show our appreciation to our amphibian friend, the mighty frog.

Disease-preventing pest control agents

Frogs are prolific insect eaters, making them the perfect natural pest control agents! They play a significant role in controlling insect populations, including mosquitoes that carry diseases like malaria and dengue fever. By keeping these insect populations in check, frogs are indirectly helping prevent the spread of these deadly diseases.

🐸 Fun frog fact: frog saliva is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it does not behave like typical liquids! Frogs can change their saliva between sticky and runny, helping them to catch prey at lightning speed. When a frog's tongue hits an insect, the saliva becomes thin, spreading over the prey, and then as it retracts, the saliva thickens, ensuring the insect sticks.

Photo: Brian Lasenby / Shutterstock  

Nature’s warning system

Frogs are an important indicator species – they signal the health of their environment. Their sensitive, permeable skin makes them highly attuned  to changes in their environment. When there is pollution or toxins in the environment, frogs will start disappearing from an area – a sign that there could be environmental issues that could affect other species, including humans.

🐸 Fun frog fact: frogs drink and breathe through their skin! Since their skin is permeable, frogs can absorb water and air through their skin. While they also have lungs, most of their respiration (breathing) happens through their skin.

Photo: Pusteflower9024 / Shutterstock

Biodiversity under threat

Amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders and newts) are the most threatened vertebrate class, with nearly 41% at risk of extinction. What is threatening our froggy friends? Sadly, frogs are facing multiple threats that contribute to their population declines, including:

• Climate change: As ectotherms (their body temperature depends on the environment), they are highly sensitive to rising temperatures. Other effects of climate change including droughts, unpredictable rainfall, wildfires and changing humidity levels, among others, are also challenging the survival of frogs.
• Habitat destruction: Urbanization, deforestation and the expansion of factory farms are destroying critical wetlands and forests that frogs and other wild animals depend on.
• Disease: Frogs are vulnerable to diseases like chytrid fungus, which attacks their sensitive skin, and salmonella, which can weaken their immune system.
• Pollution: Contaminants in the environment, including pesticides and heavy metals, can poison frogs and harm their reproductive success.
• Exploitation for the pet trade: Millions of amphibians are traded each year around the world within the pet industry. The pet trade is threatening frogs by driving exploitation and spreading disease.
• Invasive species: American bullfrogs are native to eastern North America but have been introduced around the world where they are frequently linked to population declines of smaller, native amphibians and other animals.

🐸 Fun frog fact: frog or toad? While frogs and toads are both amphibians, frogs typically have smooth, slimy skin and live near water, while toads have dry, bumpy skin and are more adapted to life on land. Frogs also tend to have longer legs made for jumping, while toads have shorter legs for walking!

Fight for the future of frogs

Frogs might be small, but their impact on our planet is mighty!

By protecting their habitats, reducing pollution and saying no the wildlife pet trade, we can help ensure our amphibian friends thrive.

And when animals thrive, we all do. That’s the power of animals.

🐸🧡

Banner photo: Images01 / Shutterstock

Learn more about the sentience of frogs: