Frog Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife

From the book:
"It's on our watch that amphibians are checking out. I think we ought to be very concerned about that."

Frogs are found everywhere: from the tropics to north of the Arctic Circle, from the heights of the Himalayan Mountains to the driest deserts. Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica. They live part of their lives in water and part on land.

Frogs absorb moisture and even breathe through their skin. Unfortunately, their skin is also super-absorbent to deadly pollutants and their eggs are thin, jellylike bubbles that absorb waterborne pollutants. Consequently, frogs are first indicators of air, water and land pollutants, acting as a barometer for measuring the health of the environment. As such, they provide a valuable warning about our future if toxic elements continue to be released into the air, soil and water.

Frog Rescue profiles the disappearance and endangerment of frogs around the world. The book also covers a range of innovative programs used around the world to protect this vulnerable species.

Some of the frog species included are:

• Australian frogs that rear their young in their stomachs
• Poison dart frogs
• Costa Rican golden toads.

About the Firefly Animal Rescue series:

The Firefly Animal Rescue identifies endangered and threatened species and what is being done to protect them. Combining lively, accessible text and stunning color photographs, each book provides a detailed overview of the species, describing its characteristics, behavior, habits, physiology and more.

"These attractive books are a call to action... fascinating readable accounts."
- School Library Journal

"Succinct introductions to the science and practice of wildlife conservation... written in accessible, lively language."
- Booklist

Firefly Animal Rescue is a series about endangered and threatened species and what is being done to protect them. Each book introduces readers to a featured animal, explains the threats it is facing, and explores efforts to protect it

Mindy Hardwick - Children's Literature

Frogs are disappearing. Why are the frogs disappearing? First, hydroelectric dams are disrupting the flow of rivers. Then, a fungus called chytrid has been found on nearly a hundred frog species from six continents. Natural disasters such as the Australian bushfires in the summer of 2003 revealed that frogs were carrying a disease which made them unable to spring back from natural disasters to their habitat. All of these contribute to the decline of the frog along with humans who are harming the frog by using frogs for dissection in high school biology classes, pets, and even medicinal uses. This nonfiction text, part of the "Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife" series, will enlighten readers about the connection between a frog's environment and their survival as a species. The book includes beautiful photography, easy to read sections with excellent supporting text from various sources, and a listing of organizations that are protecting the frog. The book is a perfect choice for an eighth or ninth grade science classroom or library. 2004, Firefly Books, Ages 12 to 15.

Garry Hamilton writes articles focusing on science, natural history, ecology, evolution and conservation. His work has appeared in magazines worldwide, including Audubon, Equinox, New Scientist, The Ecologist and Wildlife Conservation.