Save The Frogs Day Events Taking Place Worldwide

Save The Frogs Day Events Taking Place Worldwide

Today, April 29th, is largest day of amphibian education in the planet’s history

Santa Cruz, CA, April 28, 2011 – Frog lovers and environmentalists of all ages are gearing up for the 3rd Annual Save The Frogs Day, set for Friday, April 29th. The annual celebration of amphibians will be the largest day of amphibian education and conservation action in the planet’s history.

At least 115 Save The Frogs Day events are happening in 19 countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, India, South Africa, and Australia. The goal is to raise awareness of the rapid disappearance of frog species worldwide. The events are being coordinated by SAVE THE FROGS! (www.savethefrogs.com), a California-based nonprofit dedicated to amphibian conservation.

Amphibian populations worldwide have been declining at unprecedented rates, and nearly one-third of the world's amphibian species are threatened with extinction. Up to 200 species have completely disappeared in recent years. Amphibians are faced with an onslaught of environmental problems, including climate change, pollution, infectious diseases, habitat loss, invasive species, and over-harvesting for the pet and food trades. “The goal of Save The Frogs Day is to get people worldwide educating their fellow citizens about the plight of amphibians and ways they can help” says Dr. Kerry Kriger, Founder & Executive Director of SAVE THE FROGS!.

Dr. Kriger will be leading a Save The Frogs Day rally at the steps of the US Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC. “There are 18,000 registered pesticides in the United States. One of the worst is Atrazine, an endocrine disruptor that can turn male frogs into females at 2.5 parts per billion” says Dr. Kriger. Atrazine was banned in the European Union in 2004, but eighty million pounds of it are used in the USA each year, primarily on corn. “Atrazine is the 21st century’s DDT. We want it banned.” Atrazine is still used in nearly 40 countries worldwide.

Other Save The Frogs Day events include a frog legs protest at the Coney Island, NY location of Nathan’s Famous, a nationwide chain restaurant that sells frog legs. The frog legs trade is growing rapidly and America is set to soon overtake France to become the world’s largest importer of frog legs; protesters hope to raise awareness of the issue and bring an end to frog leg sales at the restaurant. In San Francisco, SAVE THE FROGS! supporters will gather at the steps of City Hall to call on the city to save the Sharp Park Wetlands. The wetlands are home to endangered California Red-Legged Frogs, but San Francisco currently pumps the wetlands out to sea to accommodate a golf course. Several environmental groups want the city to cease the golfing operations and create California’s first frog reserve.

On the less serious side, Toronto’s frog enthusiasts will be celebrating Save The Frogs Day with their 2nd Annual Frog Leap-a-Thon, a 250 meter race down the city’s boardwalk. Students at Texas Tech University will attempt to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records by organizing the largest gathering of people wearing frog masks in planetary history. In Bangladesh, a 2km Frog Run is set to take place in the town of Chittagong. Students and teachers in several countries will be taking part in the SAVE THE FROGS! Art & Poetry Contests, which received entries from 27 countries last year. Save The Frogs Day has been legally recognized by the Governor of Virginia and Mayors of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Santa Cruz, California.

You can learn more about Save The Frogs Day and events in your area, at: www.savethefrogs.com/day

About SAVE THE FROGS! SAVE THE FROGS! (http://savethefrogs.com) is America’s first and only public charity dedicated to amphibian conservation. The mission of SAVE THE FROGS! is to protect amphibian populations and to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife.

ENDS

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