Hi, I'm Vern the Wood Frog. I'm Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's spokes-frog for conservation. I came to life in 2008, AZA's Year of the Frog, when we inspired Northeast Ohio to "Leap into Action" to help amphibians in the wild.
A little about me: obviously, I'm a wood frog, only much bigger. Wood frogs are usually two-inches in size and similar in color to me, but unlike me they live in dry upland forests through most of the year. (I live at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.) My wild counterparts will venture to vernal pools (that's where I got my name - "Vern") in early spring to lay their eggs.
A little about amphibian conservation: It is estimated that a third of the world's 6,000 amphibian species are threatened with extinction. This global amphibian crisis may be the greatest species conservation challenge in the history of humanity. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and its Amphibian Specialist Group created a global conservation campaign - The Amphibian Ark - to generate public awareness and understanding of the amphibian crisis and highlight ways in which all of us can make positive contributions to amphibian conservation through our daily activities.
My friends in Northeast Ohio will carry the "Leap into Action" initiative into 2009. We will be creating a new web space to let you know what you can do to conserve wildlife and wild places. I will also be using this space to let you know what's going on at my home, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
(Layout provided by Mike Industries.)
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