Detroit Zoo | Mountain Chicken Frog

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The Detroit Zoological Society is encouraging Southeast Michigan residents to hop to it and join the local chapter of FrogWatch USA. The “citizen science” program teaches volunteers how to identify frogs and toads by their breeding calls and gather and record data that supports a national network.

“We already know about the extinctions and crises amphibians face globally, but data is deficient in our own backyards. This program allows us to keep better records and monitor our native species for any changes that may occur,” said Detroit Zoological Society Curator of Amphibians Marcy Sieggreen.

FrogWatch training classes for 2013 will be held Saturday, March 9, 1 to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 28, 5 to 9 p.m., and Sunday, April 7, 1 to 4:30 p.m., at the Detroit Zoo’s Ford Education Center. For more information or to register, contact Associate Curator of Amphibians Rebecca Johnson at rjohnson@dzs.org.

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.

More than one-third of the planet’s 6,000 amphibian species are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, climate change, pollution, infectious diseases and other factors. FrogWatch is intended to raise awareness of these environmental threats.

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

The Detroit Zoological Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic habitats, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak, Mich. The Detroit Zoo is open 362 days a year, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through Labor Day and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day after Labor Day through October. Admission is $14 for adults 15 to 61, $12 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $9 for children 2 to 14 (children under 2 are free). The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit http://www.detroitzoo.org.

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