Our Green Dream exhibition at The Distillery Gallery and Artspace opened on April 5, 2014, and will be up till the 27th of April. The exhibition shows 100s of curated artworks from more than 27 countries, and we’ve included artworks by the children who attend this Jersey City Heights gallery’s after school art class. We want to inspire even more local children, teachers and parents, so we’re having a RAFFLE contest.

Enter and One Child Wins FREE Saturday Morning Art Classes at The Distillery Gallery for a Whole Year!

(Value = $250+)

Visit the Gallery on Saturday/Sunday between 1-3 pm on April 12, 13, 19, 20; during the Earth Day celebration, April 22, 7-10 pm; or at the Save The Frogs Day celebration, April 26, 4-7 pm.

Just $5 equals two raffle tickets and the WINNER will be selected and announced during the April 26th event. You must visit the gallery to enter.

The Distillery Gallery and Artspace is located at 7 Hutton Street (right off the corner of Palisade Avenue).

About the Children’s Art Classes at The Distillery Gallery and Artspace:

• Saturdays, October – July
• 10:30am – 12:30pm
• Children ages 4 – 15 years old
• Basic studies of painting, drawing, sculpture and all around fun!
• Children’s Art Show to showcase artwork

Why is Frogs Are Green hosting this?

We’re giving children the opportunity to learn about the environment, frogs and amphibians and express themselves. It’s through art that even 3 year olds can share what they think.

When I see the artwork that comes in from children between 3 and 12 from Lithuania, Kenya, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, Estonia, Bangladesh, South Africa, Macedonia, Serbia, India, China and so many other countries it’s clear from their skills that they are not learning just about art but conveying their own personal messages about the state of the environment and how they feel about frogs. The USA is just not seeing how important this ability to self-express is, and so it must change for the next generation.

(The next Frogs Are Green children’s art contest will open for submissions on September 2, 2014. The age categories are expanding to 3-6; 7-9; 10-12; and 13-16. There will be expert judges this year and prizes. Stay tuned for the official announcement).

I’m proud that The Distillery Gallery & Artspace has partnered with Frogs Are Green to bring our “Green Dream” to life and show why children need this education in their lives.

So, swing by and ENTER!

Guest post by Wes Deyton, North Carolina.

Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) by Wes Deyton, North Carolina.

The Pickerel frog is a small frog that can be found all throughout North America. It can be found from Maine to North Georgia. It is identified by what looks to be hand drawn squares on their bodies. Now that the weather is warming up, the frogs are back out and calling. Male frogs call during this time of the year in order to attract the female Frogs.

I took this video in a pond behind my house using a Canon Rebel T4i and Canon 100mm Macro Lens.

From Wikipedia, a cool fact about the Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris):
The skin secretions of a stressed pickerel frog are known to be toxic to other frogs, as many a novice frog catcher has found when he finds only the pickerel frog still alive in his bucket. These secretions can also be moderately irritating if they come in contact with the eyes, mucous membranes, or broken skin.

About Wes Deyton, nature photographer in North Carolina:
My name is Wes Deyton. I live in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.  I love to take my camera out into the woods and look for wildlife to photograph. I have a website www.lastmilephotography.com and a Facebook page with tons of Frog, Bird, and other wildlife pictures.

The stage is set.

Green Dream posters are in shop windows in Jersey City Heights and downtown Hoboken. This week, they will go up in uptown Hoboken and downtown Jersey City. More postcards are on the way and the newspaper advertising is about to begin.

This is all very exciting! Frogs Are Green, an environmental awareness organization, has mostly been an online presence in the last 5 years, so it’s wonderful to see shop owners embrace the cause and smile when they see the poster. They read what the Green Dream exhibition is about, and say, “Wow, how cool, Earth Day… Save the Frogs Day… Yeah!”

Green Dream is about bringing awareness to the Jersey City community, who may not know what’s happening to frogs on our planet and that frogs everywhere are disappearing. By showcasing selected artworks created by children around the world this April, local schools and after school arts programs in Hudson County will have the rare opportunity of seeing what children in far off lands think about frogs and the environment.

Some of the countries represented in this first exhibition at The Distillery Gallery and Artspace are: Hong Kong, Serbia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Thailand, The Philippines, Singapore, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lithuania, Macedonia, South Africa, Kenya, Poland, Canada, Sri Lanka, Latvia, India, Indonesia, Australia, Tanzania, Madagascarm Malaysia, and Bahrain.

I hope you will share this extraordinary event with others and support our Indiegogo fundraiser…there are just 6 days left!

Link to Campaign: http://igg.me/at/green-dream

Ask any child whether they like frogs and the answer is always YES!

When I walk around my own neighborhood, I see children with frog umbrellas, boots, hats and they can easily imitate the sound of a frog too! Ribbit!

This is why Frogs Are Green was founded in 2009. Bringing awareness everyday to what’s happening on our planet and that frogs everywhere are disappearing.

We’re giving children the opportunity to learn about the environment, frogs and amphibians and express themselves. It’s through art that even 3 year old’s can share what they think.

This April, Frogs Are Green is partnering with The Distillery Gallery and Artspace in Jersey City, to exhibit 100s of artworks received from children around the world. This is the 1st exhibition of artwork received from international children for the annual Frogs Are Green art contest, 2009 through 2013. Some artwork will be hung on the walls of the gallery space and 100s more will be shown via digital projection.

The Distillery Gallery and Artspace was chosen for this exhibition because they have children’s art classes on Saturday mornings and those young artists will be participating in the show also, by displaying their frog pictures and beautifully painted flowerpots created for this Earth Day event.

Won’t you please support our Indiegogo fundraiser, building the awareness in children, who are the future stewards of our planet.

It’s our Green Dream that this exhibition will travel to a city near you next!

Link to Campaign: http://igg.me/at/green-dream

April 4-27, 2014 at The Distillery Gallery and Artspace in Jersey City, NJ

Earth Day – Gala Celebration, April 22, 7-10 pm

Musical Appearance by The Sensational Country Blues Wonders

Save The Frogs Day – Gala Celebration, April 26, 4-7 pm

Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City in attendance and presenting a proclamation

Musical Appearance by The Gully Hubbards
Environmental Guest Speakers
 

Ways You Can Help

Please visit and share this Indiegogo campaign with your colleagues, friends and family. There are sweet perks at every level. Share and support our Green Dream.

Link to Campaign: http://igg.me/at/green-dream

Each Fall Frogs Are Green hosts a Kids’ Art Contest. It gives me such a thrill when hundreds of children from around the world answer that call.

These children are enrolled in after school art programs. Their parents must realize how important it is to enrich their child’s education and encourage them to express themselves through art.

I grew up in Queens, New York, and my parents enrolled me in ballet and piano lessons, and my father, an accountant by day and an artist by night, would sit with me and teach me how to draw a house or a tree. He was so excited when I chose art as my career and began my higher education at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

My brother and sister and I were introduced to a thriving cultural world. We would get dressed up and head into New York for the circus, Ice Capades, ballet, museums, Broadway theater and opera. This gave me a rounded appreciation for the arts that I still feel.

Is this culture missing in children’s lives today?

I will tell you that the submissions to the 2013 contest yielded 450 entries, but only a few came from the USA. My only conclusion is that children in this country are not being taught arts appreciation the way I was decades ago. Is this due to the digital age of games and apps, or the economy and arts classes/programs being cut? When children spend their days watching TV and playing games that others have created, and they are not learning how to express themselves, this will hurt them later in life. I’m sure of it.

When I see the artwork that comes in from kids between 3 and 12 from Estonia, Australia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, South Africa, Macedonia, Serbia, India, China and so many other countries it’s clear from their skills that they are not learning just about art but conveying their own personal messages about the state of the environment and how they feel about frogs. The USA is just not seeing how important this ability to self-express is, and so it must change for the next generation.

I’m happy to share that The Distillery Gallery & Artspace in Jersey City, New Jersey does have art classes for kids (as do a few other places here) on Saturday mornings, and it is partnering with Frogs Are Green to bring our “Green Dream” to life and show why children need this education in their lives.

Opening on April 4 and running through April 27, “Green Dream” will be an International Children’s Earth Day Exhibition. It will be the first time Frogs Are Green is showcasing the amazing artwork received over the years. Many of the works will be hung on the walls and a digital projector will show hundreds more. The children in The Distillery art classes will also be showing their frog pictures and are creating flower pots.

I hope you will celebrate with us on Earth Day (4.22), Save the Frogs Day (4.26) and join us with your children for this extraordinary event. If you would like to learn more and support this effort to increase environmental awareness and heal the planet, visit the Indiegogo campaign here:

Green Dream – International Children’s Earth Day Exhibition – Indiegogo Campaign

Video by Brandon Somerton, Filmmaker

Guest post by Jeriann Watkins

There are a few different reasons you might want frogs and toads in your garden. They do a great job of keeping bugs away. They’re fun to watch after rainstorms when they hop in puddles and through wet grass. They serenade you to sleep at night (ok, that may be a bad thing, depending on whether you like croaky serenades).

As much as you may like frogs and want them in your yard, you should never take it on yourself to place them there. Frogs do not do well when removed from their habitats. Also, you want to be sure that your garden is home to native species, not invasive ones that will do more to harm your private ecosystem than help.

The best way to attract any wildlife to your garden is to emulate what the land would do itself. Trees, shrubs, bushes, and vegetation that would normally grow in your area are most likely to attract native insects, which will in turn attract frogs and toads.

To the human eye, frogs are pretty unassuming. Some people don’t like the slimy appearance. Whatever your opinion, you probably don’t see them as vicious. But they are fierce predators with large appetites, so if you have the environment and the bugs, they will come.

Courtesy of New England Nature Notes: Image copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2013.

Choose plants that retain moisture and offer shade. Frogs love cool damp environments, mostly out of necessity. Mulch and compost piles are also great for attracting frogs. They’re a).moist b). full of bugs and c).dark.

There are a lot of plants that are poisonous to frogs. If you have a vegetable garden, you’ll want to avoid planting these items near your pond or areas where frogs are likely to congregate:

Eggplant, Rhubarb, Snowpeas, Potatoes

For landscaping and flower gardens, you’ll want to avoid:

Honeysuckle, Azalea, Hydrangea, Daffodils, Hyacinth

For more info, check out this more exhaustive list of plants that are poisonous for amphibians and reptiles.

Frogs and toads are important for the environment, and are great for maintaining healthy eco-systems. While displacing wildlife to improve your garden will always backfire, you can enhance your garden and landscape to attract creatures that do need food sources and shelter. It’s a symbiotic relationship in that you’re helping them so they can help you.

Guest post by David Veljacic

The Caretta Research Project is an organization working with loggerhead sea turtles nesting on Wassaw Island National Wildlife Refuge, just off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The project takes volunteers weekly throughout the nesting and hatching season and immerses them in the fantastic world of wildlife fieldwork, giving them a great opportunity to work hands on with the animals.  I was fortunate to have had the honor of working with this group for seven years, three as a paying volunteer for a week each season, and four as an assistant island leader, working the entire season.

Here is an entry from one of my work “days.”  *I’ve added explanations where necessary*

July 3/4

7:30 am – we just got in from our dawn run; Lefty  *named so as her left rear flipper was missing; this prevented her from digging her own nests* came up and started nesting at 5:45am. Mike  *assistant director at the time*, and I had Rachel (volunteer) help Lefty dig the nest this time. She was SO excited, that’s Rachel not Lefty, Lefty was oblivious. I love having the volunteers do stuff, it’s such a happy thing. It’s time for bed.

10:30 am –got up, marked and GPSed nests on the South end; Kris  *director of the project* went North and took the few crew members who were awake birding, they saw the oyster catchers!, AND, AND the wood storks are at the dyke!

Body Surfing! Awesome!

Found freshly dead stranded loggerhead 15 paces north of marker 63. Did a necropsy; 56cm, male, probable shrimp net kill. I have it buried and screened at marker 63. The shrimp boats are everywhere right now, dumping their by-catch for it to wash up on the beach. It’s terrible (unless You’re a ghost crab, then You’d be rollin’ in it!), all these poor little fish and things just dead. Not to mention the pung of rotting animals, I know I said, “not to mention”, but I’m a rebel, at least here, on paper. haha.

Bruce  *caretaker* came by, there was a gator in the ditch pipe beside his house that needed moving. Toughest catch so far! It’s not big, but it wedged itself good’n’tight in the pipe, took Mike and me ‘round half and hour to get it out so we could catch *and relocate* it.  5’ 3”. Showed the crew, then took them to let it go in South Pond where it can’t cause any trouble. The toads are EVERYWHERE! With females dragging clumps of squabbling males clinging desperately to them. . . and the constant trill, it’s just so amazing. Found a bat caught and spun up by a golden silk spider (insert full body shivers here). Rolled some logs, caught a couple of ground skinks, giant eyed click beetles,  AND, AND a scarlet snake! Found a king snake predating a yellow belly slider nest.

So . . . shortly after arriving back at the cabin we noticed that we were covered in seed ticks. Covered! I’m surprised that I have any blood left; but, after sitting and picking at ourselves, and each other monkey style I think we’re OK.

8:45 pm – time to get ready to cruse the beach for lovely ladies  *turtles.*

11:25 pm – Holy Carp! First two runs, swamped! Both ends! Back at cabin for quick break. COFFEE!!! SSK 416 dry ran  *a dry run is when a turtle crawls up the beach but chooses not to nest for various reasons* twice, both again, between markers 10 and 13  *markers are spaced 100 meters apart and are used for locating nests, among other things.* I got my favourite neophyte of the season, SSX 474 / SSX 475 again, that’s three for three for her and I this season, will we see each other again? Had 5 nests on my end and 4 on Kris’, we both had to leave people at turtles to carry on patrolling, thank goodness Bev, Joe, Tom and Mary-Ellen (volunteers) know what to do. Great week for the new team members too!

11:45 pm -  Oops, time to head back out.

6:35 am – Just in from a busy night, SSK 416 dry ran three more times before nesting 23 paces north of marker 11. My crew got 8 nests, we had to relocate one with 98 eggs, it was laid below the high tide line; Bev digs a mighty fine nest. Kris’ crew got 9 nests, 0 dry runs. 17 nests in ONE night! Kris got The Holy Roller *named due to a hole in the right rear margin of her carapace*

Now for a quick cup of coffee then I’m taking Mary-Ellen, Bev, and Joe to the Fish and Wildlife hut to do bird banding with Peter *the Fish and Wildlife Ranger in charge of the refuge.*

12:20 pm – Back from banding. How about those horny (if You have found this diary and, for some reason, decide to read it to a small child, please feel free to substitute “amorous” for “horny”) dolphins off the Fish and Wildlife dock?!! I wish that I had taken my camera this morning, they were incredible! There were five of them leaping and cavorting about, with their bright pink bellies and their pointy red rockets waving about like flagpoles. They were at it for a long time before moving out of sight.

We banded 3 male and four female painted buntings!, a pair of blue birds, blue jays, cardinals, Carolina chickadees, white-eyed vireos, a black and white warbler, Carolina wrens (my faves., they’re so feisty!), AND, AND I got a humming bird on my last run! It was so tiny and delicate, what a beautiful wee thing. I brought it to Peter not knowing that he doesn’t band hummers, I wish I’d known, would have saved the poor little thing a walk. Oh yeah, I almost forgot (like I really could), we found a small Eastern diamond back on the trail!! Paul is coming next week to specifically band painted buntings and would like my help. Are You kidding me?! I’m in!

Um . . . why are there 6 squirrel tree frogs in my coffee mug?

Time for bed.

I’m so pleased to share a story that comes by way of Lexington, Massachusetts. Jack Stearns, a scientist and Meteorologist, has rescued a bullfrog in the middle of Winter. Below are the details, correspondence that I shared with The Wandering Herpetologist, Sara Viernum, who offers her advice.

Dear Susan,

I hope you can help me with some information.

Where my wife works in eastern MA there is a large garden wall.  Yesterday one of her workers came in and told her there was a frog on the sidewalk. My wife went out and there was a huge bullfrog on the sidewalk, sitting half in of snow.  By tracing back his path he saw the frog had come out of a huge crack in the wall.  We have had brutal weather the last few weeks with temps as low as -10F with heavy snow.

Because the frog would not survive where it was, (i.e a busy sidewalk and a street treated with chemicals) one of my wife’s coworkers placed the frog in a container, using rubber gloves and brought him home. We are frog and toad people so we are very familiar with their needs and habitats, however a frog appearing on your doorstep in the heart of winter is a new one!

The frog is OK and looks in good shape and very plump. He had no signs of any injury, his eyes are clear and he has a moist skin and is very lethargic, which I would expect being in semi-hibernation.  I placed him in cold water up to his jaw and put him in our coal cellar which is at a constant 34 degrees since I didn’t want to warm him up to wake him up.

Obviously everything is frozen solid so the only choice I have is to keep him where he is.  I looked on him this morning and he definitely is in a hibernation state and you see he is breathing very slowly.

Is there anything else we should be doing until spring arrives?  There is a small pond near our house which is full of bullfrogs and eventually we want to place him there.  The pond has a small current and I know the frogs burrow into the mud there to escape the current which is stronger in the winter.  Right now our frog would be in no state to burrow into the mud.

I hope you can help.  This guy is huge and a lovely specimen and we would hate for anything to happen to him.

Thank you, Jack Stearns, Lexington, MA

Jack,

Susan with Frogs Are Green forwarded me your email about the bullfrog.  Bullfrogs usually hibernate in the mud in a pond in the wild.  Offering your frog wet/moist soil to burrow into might help.

A side note: Bullfrogs are known chytrid fungus carriers.  It’s usually not a good idea to relocate any amphibian to another wetland because of the risk of spreading a disease to another population.  But I know that allowing an animal to perish instead is not a good option either.  I would suggest contacting a local nature center to see if they would be interested in taking the frog.

Thanks for being a friend of amphibians.

Cheers!

Sara E. Viernum

The Wandering Herpetologist
http://www.wanderingherpetologist.com
https://www.facebook.com/thewanderingherpetologist

________________________________________

Sara,

Thank you for response.  I will introduce some moist soil into his container.  He seems to be doing OK so giving him the soil may increase his chances of survival for the next couple of months.

I did not know about the fungus thus I will not put him in the pond near our house in the Spring. The last thing I want is to start an epidemic in another pond. The frogs in that pond are huge and it is fun to hear them croak in the late Spring and early summer and I don’t want to jeopardize those wonderful sounds.

Where our frog was found by my wife on the sidewalk, is not too far from a small pond near the building where my wife works.  It is the only body of water anywhere near the area and had bullfrogs in it.  Would it be OK to release him back to that pond since that is where he likely came from?

Another alternative is if I can’t find a local nature center, I have very small manmade pond in my Hostas garden.  Maybe he would be happy there in the warm weather, maybe he could control my slug and bug problem.

I will keep you posted on our progress.

My wife and I have always been partial to frogs and toads. Where we spent summers on Chatham, MA the house bordered a pond that was full of Spring peepers in the spring and sounds of Green and Bullfrogs in the summer.

Being a scientist myself (Meteorologist), I am well aware of the environment around me and that we all are stewards of this Planet.

Thanks again, Jack
________________________________________

Jack,

Thanks for considering the impacts of introducing the frog into a new population could cause.

I’d think releasing it in the pond nearest the location it was found would be fine.  But he would definitely help control insects in your pond.  The only concern would be him surviving in it next winter.  The pond would need to have enough debris (leaf litter, mud) and deep enough not to freeze solid for it to hibernate in.  
Best of luck.

Sara,

________________________________________

Susan and Sara,

Just a note on how Bartholomew is doing.  The name comes from a pamphlet printed in 1918 called Bartholomew Bullfrog.

In addition to the assistance I received from you two, I also have been getting help from a gentleman in Rockport, MA who oversees the Vernal Pool program in that town.

Right now the Bullfrog is in a large flat container filled with water with soil on one half of the bottom. Once he was transferred to the tank he took a few strokes then settled to the bottom on the end with no soil where he is definitely in a state of hibernation. He looks good and with a little bit of luck we are all set until Spring. Attached is a picture taken this morning.

He has become quite a celebrity where my wife works since most people there now have heard him being found and are curious on how he is doing.

Thanks again for all your help and I will keep you posted on his progress.

Jack

Update: 1.20.2014

Susan,

Bartholomew continues to do well.

He started to shed is skin so at the suggestion of Sara I moved him into another tank since she said that bacteria could grow in the dead skin and the water could become a little funky.

Moved him in on Saturday.  This critter is strong!  He is definitely healthy!

Then yesterday he did a sneak out. He managed to lift the corner of the tank top and climb out and went and sat in the corner of the coal room.

I told Sara about the sneak out and she told me that they are notorious escape artists.  She also said that he might be happier in a bed of wet soil.  I got some wet soil with no additives, fertilizers and the like in it.  I put him in that tank and we will see what happens.

With the colder weather moving in, temperatures which now stand at 39F in the coal room will definitely drop to near freezing the next few days and I am sure he will become even less active.

This frog is smart and he knows it!

Sincerely, Jack

Announcing the Winners of the 2013 Kids’ Art Contest!

Children from countries around the world celebrated frogs and amphibians by drawing, painting, and sculpting remarkable creations. The variety of medium and style was overwhelming and there were 450 entries uploaded! Thank you to all the parents and teachers who aided these children to enter, taught them more about frogs and how they can help them, making this year’s contest another fabulous success! It was very difficult to choose from among all the unique entries. So incredibly creative and inspiring. Please be sure to enter again next year and don’t forget to contact founder, Susan Newman at Frogs Are Green if you would like your Winning Certificate!

The Winners are as follows:

2013 Kids Art Contest – Ages 3-6:

1st Winner: Mia Dmnjanovic, 6 years, Serbia

2nd Winner: Bosco Chung, 5 years, Hong Kong

3rd Winner: Sophia Blanck, 6 years, Macedonia

Honorable Mention:

Dusa, 5 years, Serbia

Charmaine Tsang Pui Ting, 5 years, Hong Kong

_________________________________

2013 Kids Art Contest – Ages 7-9:

1st Winner: Matthew L, 8 years, Creative Minds Art Studio, Portland, Oregon, USA

2nd Winner (and Winner of BEST ENVIRONMENTAL): Tiffany Li, 9 years, USA

3rd Winner: Karina Gnatova, 9 years, Estonia

Honorable Mention:

Charmaine Yuxin Wong, 8 years, Singapore

Nadine Leevand Balezin, 9 years, Estonia

________________________________

2013 Kids Art Contest – Ages 10-12:

1st Winner: Beata Lastovko, 10 years, Estonia

2nd Winner: Jelizaveta Jerina, 11 years, Estonia

3rd Winner: Jekaterina Poljakova, 10 years, Estonia

Honorable Mention:

Alisa Jerina, 13 years, Estonia (Had to include this beautiful image, even though Alisa is 13)

________________________________

2013 Kids Art Contest – Best Black and White

Valentinas Skalandis, 11 years, Kaunas Art, Lithuania

________________________________

2013 Kids Art Contest – Best 3D

Sami, 11 years, USA

In Jersey City backyards, it’s unlikely you’d find any frogs, but it’s wonderful to know that frog lovers all over DO!

The Winners of the 2013 Backyard Frogs Photography Contest.

1st Place: Wes Deyton, (Wesrule2601, Flickr) with this peeper.

2nd Place: Olivia Brand

3rd Place: Koover Schmidt

Honorable Mention: Wes Deyton, (Wesrule2601, Flickr)

Thank you to all the frog lovers out there, who celebrate amphibians by photographing them so we can all share your discoveries.

Announcing the Winners of the 2013 Frogs in the Wild contest:

1st Place: Sara Viernum, The Wandering Herpetologist with this Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) from near Montello, Wisconsin.

2nd Place: Paul, with his “resting frog” image.

3rd Place: Geoffrey Giller with his “wood frog.”

Honorable Mention: Angie Schwartz

Guest post by Ricky Peterson

One of the joys of having a garden in summer is being able to observe wildlife close up. Whether you’re a bird lover or a fan of butterflies, we can all enjoy watching our feathered, furry and many-legged friends in our own back yard. But how can we attract them to our garden?

The key to making your garden attractive to wildlife is creating a comfortable habitat for them. Here are a few tips to do just that:

Home, tweet home

We all need somewhere to hang our hat, and animals and insects are no different. Set up a bird house in the spring, and you might just be rewarded with a family settling down for the summer. But birds aren’t the only ones who need somewhere to stay – bee houses are also available now, which is great news for our declining bee population.

Also, for an incredibly easy to set up and inexpensive shelter for a range of wildlife, simply lay some logs in a corner of your yard – and don’t bother tidying up fallen leaves. This will provide a home for lots of insects, which could help to eat pests as well as providing a tasty treat for birds. Also, mammals can use the leaf cover to hide food during the winter.

Food, glorious food

Speaking of tasty treats, you can help further on that front. There are lots of mixes of birdseed available, but if you’d like to try to attract a certain type of bird or other animal, try the following.

• Mealworms – house sparrow and shrews
• Peanuts – great spotted woodpecker and badgers
• Fat balls – blue tit and great tit
• Nyger seed – siskin and goldfinch
• Sunflower hearts – bullfinch
• Dog food – hedgehog
• Root vegetables – deer

Think carefully about how suitable your garden is for wildlife before you try to attract animals there – are your neighbours as keen as you? Will there be busy roads that could cause danger?

Scrub up well

Ponds and birdbaths are a lifeline for many animals. As well as the fish who might live in your pond, birds can drink the water and use it to bathe, and of course frogs and toads will love the environment.

Blooming lovely

If you want to help the bee and butterfly population to thrive, it’s vital to have both early- and late-flowering plants so that our winged compatriots have plenty to feed on throughout the season. Try some of the following:

• Spring: primrose, damson and blueberry
• Summer: chives, dahlia and hardy geranium
• Autumn: common ivy, sunflower and strawberry tree
• Winter: clematis, crocus and honeysuckle

Leave the lawn

Fed up of mowing the grass every week? You officially have a valid excuse for not bothering! As well as the wildflowers that may pop up, a long lawn is a great haven for lots of wildlife. Insects will love it in the summer, and it may come in useful over winter for hibernating mammals.

Of course, you don’t need to let nature take over completely
even just a small patch will make a difference

Toxic love

Chemicals are not the friend of wildlife – as well as killing off the pests, they can harm or even kill the predator. If you’ve used chemicals in your garden but want to cut back, have patience. If your garden is varied enough, the predators should keep the pests in check, but you need to allow time for the ladybirds to return before you go spraying those aphids (and killing off the ladybirds, too).

Live and let live

Most importantly, show the wildlife in your garden respect – even though you might not love the beetles, they have a part to play in its ecosystem. Remember, too, to treat the wildlife as wildlife, and try to limit human interaction with animals – becoming dependent on you could be dangerous for them.

Enjoy creating your own wildlife paradise!

About Ricky Peterson

Hi there! My name is Ricky, I write for Swallow Aquatics. I am a nature lover and I like to spend as much time as possible in my garden. I don’t grow as much veg as I would like, but I am lucky enough to have a wealth of birds and insects come visit!

You can visit Swallow Aquatics here. We specialise in pond supplies and accessories, which are ideal if you want to build a pond in your garden (another great way to attract more wildlife!).

When was your organization founded? Please tell us a bit about its mission, goals…

I founded The Green Suite in 2012. At the Green Suite, our mission is to save the planet, one home at a time by offering affordable classes and DIY kits that promote a green lifestyle.

What is your educational background and what lead to creating this organization?

I have degrees in Theater and Marketing. I’ve always had a knack for building and design as well as a passion for the environment. I founded The Green Suite shortly after I completed work on my own solar power system and a hydroponic windowfarm. I learned most of what I needed to know from a few books, several YouTube videos, and lots of trial and error. I quickly realized there was an opportunity to run a business teaching others what I had learned. Within a few months I expanded the scope of my classes to include DIY Solar Energy, Hydroponic Windowfarming, as well as Zombie Survival Training. I also offer several products in my store, all of which are made from recycled materials.

What are some challenges you have faced and how did you deal with them?

Promotion and exposure have always been a challenge. With a new business it’s always hard at first but the first few months were brutal. I planned several classes but it was almost impossible to get people to register. I exchanged e-mails with several people interested but that was it. I decided I needed to cast a wider net. I tried several methods with limited results but what turned everything around was listing my classes on Dabble. Dabble.co is a great site that offers one-time classes at affordable prices. As soon as I signed up, my classes started selling and I starting getting tons of exposure. Dabble is also great because they make it easy for people to leave reviews about you and your classes.

What can people do to help? Donate, and contribute to your cause? Other ideas?

Spread the word and connect with me online. People in the Chicago area can join any of my Dabble classes, check my profile for the next session. For those not in Chicago stay tuned to The Green Suite Store for my digital classes that will be available soon.

How do you reach your targeted audience? Is it through your website, advertising or social media or another route? Which is most effective and why?

Almost all of my successful marketing has been via social media. Mostly through Twitter because there are so many awesome tools to help build an audience. Also Dabble was a perfect fit for my business because our demographics were exactly the same and they do a great job promoting classes on their site.

How do you keep the audience engaged over time?

If you want to keep an audience engaged you have to keep cranking out good content. I try to post as often as I can and maintain good quality. For me that’s usually between 3 and 5 posts a week.

Tell us about your events around the world and some of the campaigns you have started.

I was featured in a recent Chicago Sun-Times article about my Zombie Survival Classes in Chicago.

What is in the works for the future? What haven’t you yet tackled, but will want to do soon?

I have some big plans for 2013 one of which being my digital classes. They will be a downloadable version of all of my classes. They will come with a PDF outlining each session and a video.

To contact Nick Conrad and learn more about The Green Suite, click and follow:

Website: www.greenyoursuite.com

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/129BQXV

Twitter: @thegreensuite

Tumblr: http://thegreensuite.tumblr.com

Sun-Times Article: http://bit.ly/12g9fOj

A frog loving fan, James, called the other day to report on what he discovered when he visited his Mother’s pool. It seems that during Superstorm Sandy, the covering of the pool ripped and since there was a separation the frogs began creeping in and under the covering. Since they hadn’t been to the home in a while, they didn’t know this was happening. Being back at the home now, there are thousands of frogs in different stages of development.

by James

I have noticed little tiny frogs sitting on the sides of the walls where the liner touches the ground. They all look so fragile and everything is complicated to touch. I just hope they realize the opening is there if they need to come out.

I did see one jump back from the concrete back into the pool onto the first step when he saw me. That’s how I took the picture. I wanted to put something in the water to float but you can’t throw things in because there are so many. I have to try and place it in but the water is so low. This is a job for specialists because if you use nets in the water you will get tadpoles in all different stages. I have never seen anything like it and the frogs that have developed are tiny. They can fit on the tip of your finger. that’s how big the frog is of the picture I sent to you.

I called Peta today but they were busy and couldn’t talk to me. If you were standing in front the of pool you would say “OMG.” You can’t tell in the pictures. When you are standing in front of the pool looking closely you can see them all.

I feel bad because there are tiny green ones sitting on the step and side of the pool and I’m not sure what their game plan is. I opened part of the liner in case they want to climb out.

I didn’t know frogs need to sleep on something so I suspected they might be on the steps since the water is low. When I looked at the steps in the pool I saw many almost developed in the water, some clinging on the side of the pool, and others were sitting on the steps.

I opened the pool cover in the corner where the steps are located to see if any of them climbed out. I was going to put a back wash hose in the water and lead it out to the ground so they can walk on it and out of the pool. i don’t know if this is a good thing to do because there aren’t any ponds around and people are always cutting their grass. plus its hard to even put anything in because there are so many and they can get hurt. If I put the back wash hose in then I would have to do it very slowly. They ones on the steps were all looking at me while I was trying to take their picture.

I sent his story to a few experts and here’s a response from
Keith Gisser, Herpetologist, Herps Alive! Foundation

I would certainly call Wildlife Management. It is unlikely you are the only one. Having said that, this sounds like toads or (if they are bright green) gray tree frogs. There is a reason they all emerge at the same time and that is so that a few of them make it.

Moving these guys is pretty easy. I would use a fish net and a couple rubbermaid tubs with the water they are in. Just scoop ‘em up – froglets in one, tadpoles in the other and get them to a suitable habitat nearby.

Do you have the same issue?

Do you have any suggestions that can help James?

Guest Post by Keith Gisser

I know what you are thinking.

Why is a reptile rescue guy writing about frogs? They aren’t reptiles. And captive frogs don’t need to be rescued. Gators, boas, pythons, maybe even big monitor lizards and iguanas, sure. But frogs?

Herps Alive! The Interactive Reptile and Amphibian Experience, is a traveling educational herpetology program and display. We have presented in 36 states (primarily at college campuses, but also at libraries, festivals elementary and high schools). Now in my fifties, I did my first paid program at age 17,  and now my daughter a degreed Interpretative Naturalist, and my son, a marketing whiz, often travel and help me. We offer display programs and interactive lectures as well as classroom sessions, and have presented an estimated 3,000 programs since we started (we have worked some “real” jobs here and there).

As your reputation builds, you start getting calls to adopt animals. Usually they are pets that people can’t keep. Sometimes they are police seizures or animals from other unfortunate situations.  We have always accepted these animals in an effort to keep a good relationship with the museums, nature centers and law enforcement officials who contact us.

But in the last year or so, the rescue mission has taken on a life of its own.  We have been asked to take in dozens of animals. And for the first time, we began rehoming a few. As a result we are spinning off our rescue mission and working on moving it to a separate location, as we turn it into a charitable foundation.

But what about the frogs?

I have been fascinated with frogs my entire life. My career as a herpetologist probably began at age nine when I caught a toad. I brought him home in a rinsed out pickle jar. (That was 45 years ago when such behavior was acceptable. At the time they were also in the genus Bufo, not Anaxyrus) I have bred several species of frog in captivity and always include a discussion of metamorphosis in my educational programs.

Right now we have three frogs among our 150 animals.  Our Southern Toad (Anaxyrusterrestris) was living in a Carolina classroom after a student had brought him. He had been in captivity for too long to be released, so when we came in to do a program, the teacher asked if we could take him. Known just as The Toad, he eats crickets and small worms, as well as waxworms.

Beatrice is an African Clawed Frog (Xenopuslaevis) who was raised from a small size by my son’s ex-girlfriend. When she moved into a new home, she asked us to take her on. Beatrice was raised in a 10 gallon aquarium. When we tried to move her to a larger one, she went off feed and seemed generally unhappy. So back into the ten she went even though it really is too small for her. She loves her goldfish and nightcrawlers and eats anywhere from 10-30 a week. Unfortunately, her relatives have been taking a bad rap lately as they have been identified as the culprits that carried of the dreaded chytrid fungus.  It’s not really their fault. In everywhere except their African home, they were used as lab animals. They were used as part of a pregnancy test. The problem is not with them carrying the fungus, but rather with the irresponsible people who have released them outside their normal environment.

Finally, there is Poncherello Pegone Pixiefrog, our African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalusadsperus). “Ponch” is named for the  mayor on the cartoon My Gym Partner’s a Monkey., who is also a Pixie, or African Bullfrog. We adopted him from a breeder because he appears to be blind in one eye and the breeder did not want him. Ponch eats thawed mice off tongs, usually one or two a week. He is also a regular in our programs, having traveled to 14 states since we got him two years ago. While our other frogs are kept in our entrance hallway (Our facility is not air conditioned), Ponch loves the heat and his aquarium is kept in our snake and lizard room, where the high ambient temperature helps him with digestion.

We hope to see you some time in the future…

About Keith Gisser:

Keith caught a toad (Anaxyrus ssp) when he was nine and his herpetology career began. He has presented Herps Alive! an award-winning, nationally recognized interactive reptile and amphibian program based in Ohio, at over 170 college campuses and hundreds of other venues in 39 states.

Gisser, who has been a herpetology educator for over thirty years and currently maintains about 140 reptiles, amphibians and crocodilians, nearly all of which are adoptions or rescues, about half of which are used in his programs. The rescue and adoption mission has taken more and more of his time and efforts in recent years and will soon be “spun off” as the Herps Alive! Foundation, which is in the process of seeking non-profit status and accreditation as a rescue.

Rio Grande Leopard Frog by Sara Viernum

A frog fan, Brian, emailed about the frogs in his area crossing the road when it rains, and I asked a few experts to advise him. We all agreed to share this content so you can know what to do in your own area.

Brian asks:
To reiterate our conversation, there is an ecosystem in and around the Salt Pond community in Bethany Beach DE, which subsequently is intertwined by a few roads. There is one particular stretch of about two blocks where, like clockwork, when it rains the frogs cover the street. It seems to be two species doing this; the bull frogs and little peepers. I did a rough estimation of about 125 of these frogs are being killed by car traffic every time it rains. That’s roughly 4000 per summer season. What is it about the rain that draws these frogs to the pavement?  And what practical solution can be done to lessen the slaughter?

Best regard, Brian H.

Bullfrog by Sara Viernum

Two responses from the experts:

Hi Susan and Brian,
Happy for others to chirp in as well, but the frogs are not so much attracted to the pavement, but the rains signaling the fact that its time to breed!  So when this happens the frogs migrate from where they live their everyday lives to a suitable breeding site, which hopefully still exists.  I’ve seen cases where the traditional ponds have been turned into carparks or shopping malls and all the frogs turn up and say “WTF?” And inevitably die.  There is another explanation and that depends upon the size of the frogs – if they are adults then the above explanation is probably true, however if they are metamorps or juveniles then its quite likely this is a mass migration AWAY from the breeding site of newly developed froglets to find a good place to live and the only way they can avoid drying out on the hostile pavements is to travel when it rains.

OK – what can be done to save them?

People try many things, during rainy days you can get volunteers to help the frogs across the roads, you can put signs up to warn motorists and tell them to be careful, you can close the roads – all these have differing successes depending on manpower, but the best solution is to advocate for some frogs tunnels and drift fences to be installed.  Essentially you erect a barrier, which for these species would need to be carefully constructed as peepers can climb very well and bullfrogs can jump very well, and these barriers prevent the frogs from crossing the road and direct them to an underpass where they can cross the road safely (obviously the same needs to happen on the other side so that they don’t get squashed coming back).  Having said all this, both the species mentioned are fairly common species and are not under threat (although it would be good to get their ID professionally confirmed) and are not in decline – at the moment, so it would be difficult to motivate city councils or governments to take action for a fairly common species.  But its great that Brian wants to do something an it would be great if Kerry Kriger (Save the Frogs) or I can help.

All the best

Phil Bishop
Associate Professor
Chief Scientist
Amphibian Survival Alliance

Ranid Eggs by Sara Viernum

Brian,

Susan with Frogs Are Green forwarded your e-mail to me.  Roadways are a huge problem for herpetofauna as you’ve found out.  The frogs are mostly likely coming out on the roads during rainy nights to move to breeding grounds or in search of food.  Frogs love rainy nights and move around a lot during them.  Some possible solutions to help save the frogs are to petition the city and or your local Fish and Wildlife/Dept of Natural Resources office to install frog crossing signs and get the speed limit lowered and/or to install fencing that diverts the frogs to an under road crossing (if one is nearby).  If this is a little used road you might asked that it be closed during certain seasons like the famous snake road in the Pine Hills in Southern Illinois that is closed twice a year to allow rattlesnakes to migrate.  Another possibility is to start a citizen group that devotes time to cruising the roads on rainy nights saving the frogs.  I’ve heard of a few areas in the US where people do this.

Thanks for being concerned about the frogs.

Cheers!

— Sara Viernum, The Wandering Herpetologist

Spring Peepers by Sara Viernum

Guest post by Phil Bishop
acting director at The Centre for Science Communication (University of Otago)
Associate Professor/Chief Scientist ASA

Hedgehogs are cute and cuddly.

Many children are exposed to characters like Beatrix Potter’s Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, so it was no surprise that when I found a baby hedgehog (called a hoglet) sitting motionless on the sidewalk at 4.30 in the afternoon that I felt moved to help.

This is in New Zealand and many people may not realize that New Zealand was probably one of the last places in the World to be colonized by land mammals.  The only native mammals we have in New Zealand are two species of bats and marine mammals like seals and dolphins.  So all the rats, mice, stoats, weasels, possums and of course, hedgehogs, have all been introduced in the last couple of hundred years.

Nearly all the land mammals are introduced species and the native wildlife (birds, reptiles and frogs), who have been happily evolving on their own for the last 80 million years in the absence of mammals, haven’t a clue what to do when they encounter an introduced, vicious, mammalian predator.

I ended up in a dilemma – should I nudge the hedgehog into the oncoming traffic, it was cold and going to die anyway, or should I nurse it back to health and when its old enough, release it back into the wild to wreak havoc with our native wildlife or get squashed on the road as an adult!

The decision was a ‘no brainer’, I couldn’t let this little fellow die a horrible death so I had to rear the little 100 gm orphan.  So now we have a large female hedgehog – a couple of pounds in weight – a vicious predators of my favorite animals that I have been working so hard to save – frogs!  What to do?

Luckily I managed to find someone who was looking for a hedgehog as a pet – so she is now living with a family, never to be released to the wild, never to produce more hedgehogs, never to run the gauntlet of crossing a road but always having her every day needs taken care of.

A win win situation for the hedgehog and for the frogs!

While they might seem cute and cuddly hedgehogs are significant predators of frogs, lizards and even ground nesting birds – and probably play a significant role in the decline of Leiopelma frogs in New Zealand.

We’re excited to announce the winners of our third annual 2012 FROGS ARE GREEN art contest for kids. We received 236 entries from young artists from countries around the world. We are so grateful to the kids, parents, and teachers who sent in their creations. As always, we were thrilled to see so many original, fun, and thoughtful drawings and paintings of our favorite amphibian. It was extremely difficult to pick winners.

The artwork will continue to be on exhibit in the 2012 frogs are green kids’ art gallery on Flickr, and we encourage all participants to show off their amazing artwork to friends, family, and fellow students. All those who entered can download a certificate of participation (pdf download). First place, second place, and honorable mention winners, please contact us to receive your downloadable award certificate.

The winners are as follows:

Overall 2012 Frogs Are Green Kids’ Art Contest winner

“Joint Action for Frog Conservation,” Angel Barachiel S. Muñoz, 8 yrs old, Zamboanga City, Philippines

Ages 3-6
First place: Todor Gargov, 6 yrs old, The Little Prince Kindergarten, Varna, Bulgaria

Second place: “Joyful Life in a Clean Frog Pond” by Kenard Alvaro Hadinata, 4 ½ yrs old, Indonesia

Honorable Mention: Mehran Hasan Bhuiyan, 5 yrs old, Bangladesh

Ages 7-9

First place: Viktoria Kovacheva, 9 yrs old, The Little Prince School, Varna, Bulgaria

Second place: “Frog Rhapsody,” Tatyana Kokal, 9 yrs old, The Little Prince School, Varna, Bulgaria

Honorable mention: Essa Ahmed Ansari, 7 yrs old, Pristine Private School, Dubai, UAE

Ages 10-12
First place: “Sunny Day” by Laura Krišjāne, 10 years old, Riga 45 High School, Latvia

Second place: “A World that’s Green in His Dream” by Andrew Wang, 12 yrs old, USA

Honorable mention: “Today” by Estere Zariņa, 10 yrs old, Riga 45 High School, Latvia

Best 3D art
First place: “My Happy Frog” by Egils Ziedins, 11 yrs old, Children’s and Youth Centre, IK Auseklis, Riga, Latvia

Best Environmental “Green-Themed” Art

First place: “Environment change took away our frogs’ living area. Protect our Earth and save our frogs from falling!” by Aaron Wang, 11 yrs old, USA

Second place: “Clean Earth, Happy Frog,” Alton Wang, 8 yrs old, USA

admin said, on 1/15/2013 6:34:00 AM

We’ve written before about fungal infections devastating amphibian, honey bee, and bat populations, but this winter we wanted to delve more deeply into this issue. First, we’ll learn a bit about fungi and why they can be such virulent pathogens. In the next few posts, we’ll explore the emergence of these infections in bats, honey bees, frogs, and yes, even in humans.

Killer airborne fungus. Photo from National Geographic, courtesy of Edmond Byrnes and Joseph Heitman, Duke Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology

What is a fungus?

A fungus is not an animal or a plant. It isn’t a bacteria either. Fungi belong to a separate kingdom that includes molds, yeasts, lichens, and mushrooms. Animals and fungi do share certain features: they breathe oxygen and get energy by eating food. Their cells are similar. Yet fungi don’t eat and digest their food as animals do. Their feeding style breaks down dead plants and animals, decomposing them. But they can also switch their diet from dead animals to live cells.

Fungi can retreat into spores and survive for long periods without food. They can live independently, outside their hosts. As spores they can float through the air, get lodged into the treads of a shoe, or float in water. Unlike bacteria and viruses that may burn themselves out when they kill their victims, fungi can wipe out whole populations without being destroyed themselves.

Why are certain types of animals so vulnerable to fungal diseases?
There isn’t one conclusive answer. Those animals that are immunosuppressed, however, tend to be more vulnerable to fungal infection. But why are these animals so unhealthy? The answers are complex and may have to do with many different causes, perhaps a “perfect storm” of causes: the overall decrease of biodiversity, use of pesticides, climate change, clear cutting of forests and habitat destruction and degradation, and other issues.

Readers of Frogs Are Green are familiar with the the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has wiped out hundreds of species of amphibians.

In 2006 the white-nose syndrome, an infection caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans killed a few bats in New York; since then it has killed more than 5 million bats in 21 states and four Canadian provinces.

Recently honey bee populations have been devastated. There is evidence that co-infection with multiple pathogens, including fungi, is one cause.

A fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans ravages humans with compromised immune systems. It is spread primarily by the guano of pigeons and contracted by inhaling spores. More than 1 million immunosuppressed patients are infected annually around the world.

What is the Causing the Spread of the Emerging Fungal Diseases?

Fungal spores can be easily spread by humans so fungi that were once isolated in different parts of the world can now exchange genes and create new and more virulent pathogens.

As reported in a recent e360 (Yale) article: “Fungi have driven more animal species extinct than any other class of pathogens by quite a long way,” according to Matthew Fisher, an epidemiologist at Imperial College in London.

As Rob Miles, executive director of the Organization for Bat Conservation told Bee, Bat, Frog Deaths May Be Linked, Discovery News”>Discovery News, “It appears that many species are under an immense amount of stress, allowing opportunistic diseases to take hold.”

Information from this post from:

A Rise in Fungal Diseases is Taking Growing Toll on Wildlife by Michelle Nijhuis, Slate

Bee, Bat, Frog Deaths May Be Linked, Discovery News

admin said, on 1/21/2013 6:39:00 AM

We are excited to announce the winners of the fourth annual 2012 FROGS ARE GREEN photo contest. We were thrilled to receive such fabulous entries, and it was difficult to pick the winners. We hope you will continue your adventures as amphibian photographers and enter next year’s photo contest!

We accepted photos in two categories: Frogs in the Wild and Backyard Frogs.

FROGS IN THE WILD

First place: Sherri Simms – “Spotted this frog and had to snap a photo, looked like he was smiling! It was taken at a pond in London, Ontario.”

Second place: Sara Viernum – Northern Red-legged Frog hanging out in the wetlands at Wapato Greenway in Portland, Oregon

Honorable mention: Aaron Wang, USA

BACKYARD FROGS

First place: Simply Bananas1 - “Surfin’ the green wave.”

Second place: Brad Merrell – “A Frog’s Perspective”

Honorable mention: Eleanor Leonne Bennett - Cheshire UK

admin said, on 1/21/2013 7:15:00 AM

We’re excited to announce the winners of our third annual 2012 FROGS ARE GREEN art contest for kids. We received 236 entries from young artists from countries around the world. We are so grateful to the kids, parents, and teachers who sent in their creations. As always, we were thrilled to see so many original, fun, and thoughtful drawings and paintings of our favorite amphibian. It was extremely difficult to pick winners.

The artwork will continue to be on exhibit in the 2012 frogs are green kids’ art gallery on Flickr, and we encourage all participants to show off their amazing artwork to friends, family, and fellow students. All those who entered can download a certificate of participation (pdf download). First place, second place, and honorable mention winners, please contact us to receive your downloadable award certificate.

The winners are as follows:

Overall 2012 Frogs Are Green Kids’ Art Contest winner

“Joint Action for Frog Conservation,” Angel Barachiel S. Muñoz, 8 yrs old, Zamboanga City, Philippines

Ages 3-6
First place: Todor Gargov, 6 yrs old, The Little Prince Kindergarten, Varna, Bulgaria

Second place: “Joyful Life in a Clean Frog Pond” by Kenard Alvaro Hadinata, 4 ½ yrs old, Indonesia

Honorable Mention: Mehran Hasan Bhuiyan, 5 yrs old, Bangladesh

Ages 7-9

First place: Viktoria Kovacheva, 9 yrs old, The Little Prince School, Varna, Bulgaria

Second place: “Frog Rhapsody,” Tatyana Kokal, 9 yrs old, The Little Prince School, Varna, Bulgaria

Honorable mention: Essa Ahmed Ansari, 7 yrs old, Pristine Private School, Dubai, UAE

Ages 10-12
First place: “Sunny Day” by Laura Krišjāne, 10 years old, Riga 45 High School, Latvia

Second place: “A World that’s Green in His Dream” by Andrew Wang, 12 yrs old, USA

Honorable mention: “Today” by Estere Zariņa, 10 yrs old, Riga 45 High School, Latvia

Best 3D art
First place: “My Happy Frog” by Egils Ziedins, 11 yrs old, Children’s and Youth Centre, IK Auseklis, Riga, Latvia

Best Environmental “Green-Themed” Art

First place: “Environment change took away our frogs’ living area. Protect our Earth and save our frogs from falling!” by Aaron Wang, 11 yrs old, USA

Second place: “Clean Earth, Happy Frog,” Alton Wang, 8 yrs old, USA

We are excited to announce the winners of the fourth annual 2012 FROGS ARE GREEN photo contest. We were thrilled to receive such fabulous entries, and it was difficult to pick the winners. We hope you will continue your adventures as amphibian photographers and enter next year’s photo contest!

We accepted photos in two categories: Frogs in the Wild and Backyard Frogs.

FROGS IN THE WILD

First place: Sherri Simms – “Spotted this frog and had to snap a photo, looked like he was smiling! It was taken at a pond in London, Ontario.”

Second place: Sara Viernum – Northern Red-legged Frog hanging out in the wetlands at Wapato Greenway in Portland, Oregon

Honorable mention: Aaron Wang, USA

BACKYARD FROGS

First place: Simply Bananas1 - “Surfin’ the green wave.”

Second place: Brad Merrell – “A Frog’s Perspective”

Honorable mention: Eleanor Leonne Bennett - Cheshire UK

We’ve written before about fungal infections devastating amphibian, honey bee, and bat populations, but this winter we wanted to delve more deeply into this issue. First, we’ll learn a bit about fungi and why they can be such virulent pathogens. In the next few posts, we’ll explore the emergence of these infections in bats, honey bees, frogs, and yes, even in humans.

Killer airborne fungus. Photo from National Geographic, courtesy of Edmond Byrnes and Joseph Heitman, Duke Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology

What is a fungus?

A fungus is not an animal or a plant. It isn’t a bacteria either. Fungi belong to a separate kingdom that includes molds, yeasts, lichens, and mushrooms. Animals and fungi do share certain features: they breathe oxygen and get energy by eating food. Their cells are similar. Yet fungi don’t eat and digest their food as animals do. Their feeding style breaks down dead plants and animals, decomposing them. But they can also switch their diet from dead animals to live cells.

Fungi can retreat into spores and survive for long periods without food. They can live independently, outside their hosts. As spores they can float through the air, get lodged into the treads of a shoe, or float in water. Unlike bacteria and viruses that may burn themselves out when they kill their victims, fungi can wipe out whole populations without being destroyed themselves.

Why are certain types of animals so vulnerable to fungal diseases?
There isn’t one conclusive answer. Those animals that are immunosuppressed, however, tend to be more vulnerable to fungal infection. But why are these animals so unhealthy? The answers are complex and may have to do with many different causes, perhaps a “perfect storm” of causes: the overall decrease of biodiversity, use of pesticides, climate change, clear cutting of forests and habitat destruction and degradation, and other issues.

Readers of Frogs Are Green are familiar with the the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has wiped out hundreds of species of amphibians.

In 2006 the white-nose syndrome, an infection caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans killed a few bats in New York; since then it has killed more than 5 million bats in 21 states and four Canadian provinces.

Recently honey bee populations have been devastated. There is evidence that co-infection with multiple pathogens, including fungi, is one cause.

A fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans ravages humans with compromised immune systems. It is spread primarily by the guano of pigeons and contracted by inhaling spores. More than 1 million immunosuppressed patients are infected annually around the world.

What is the Causing the Spread of the Emerging Fungal Diseases?

Fungal spores can be easily spread by humans so fungi that were once isolated in different parts of the world can now exchange genes and create new and more virulent pathogens.

As reported in a recent e360 (Yale) article: “Fungi have driven more animal species extinct than any other class of pathogens by quite a long way,” according to Matthew Fisher, an epidemiologist at Imperial College in London.

As Rob Miles, executive director of the Organization for Bat Conservation told Bee, Bat, Frog Deaths May Be Linked, Discovery News”>Discovery News, “It appears that many species are under an immense amount of stress, allowing opportunistic diseases to take hold.”

Information from this post from:

A Rise in Fungal Diseases is Taking Growing Toll on Wildlife by Michelle Nijhuis, Slate

Bee, Bat, Frog Deaths May Be Linked, Discovery News

As I write this, Democrats and Republicans are attempting to hammer out a deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. But as I look back on the environmental news of 2012, it seems to me that we are also heading for an environmental cliff.

At the start of 2012, I wouldn’t have believed that I would be in my kitchen offering coffee to a FEMA employee as a result of damage to our house due to Hurricane Sandy, not to mention discussing our situation with a flood insurance agent who had helped Hurricane Katrina victims. (Learning that put our problems in perspective.) We are still cleaning up and I will be surrounded by cardboard boxes and the smell of toxic floodwater for a long time to come. I’m sure Susan also wasn’t expecting to spend eight days in the dark with no power or heat.

Hurricane Sandy has at least brought the topic of global warming up again for public discussion. Remember when Mitt Romney joked at the Republican convention about the rising ocean? Turns out it wasn’t such a funny joke.

Meterologists may argue about whether Sandy was caused by global warming, but many scientists believe that global warming turned what might have been a really bad storm into a “super storm.” Yet there can be no argument that the melting of the arctic ice caps is due to global warming: The ice caps are melting at an unprecedented speed. So what? you say. The polar ice caps have melted faster in the last 20 years than in the past 10,000 years. When this ice melts, global sea levels rise; meltwater pools absorb heat from the sun that white ice would have reflected back into space. This accelerates climate change even more.

2012 was also notable for being a dustbowl year. The US experienced the worst drought in fifty years with 80 percent of arable and pasture land affected by the highest temperatures ever recorded.

Fifty years ago Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, which began the environmental movement. Now this movement seems tired, as if nothing will rouse it, even the prospects of floods, droughts, melting ice caps, and hurricanes, not to mention disappearing animal species, and other environmental disasters.

Perhaps before the New Year begins, we need a reminder of why we need to make the environment a priority. Here’s a BBC One video a Frogs Are Green friend sent us. We all need to get re-inspired to help save our beautiful world:

Some of information/ideas in this post came from The Independent (UK) article: Review of the Environment 2012: In the Eye of the Storm

One of our favorite posts is the annual Frogs Are Green frog gifts holiday extravaganza. What could be more fun that picking and choosing fun frog gifts for the holidays? Click on the pictures below to connect to the sites (Pier 1, Amazon, Target, and so on). Enjoy!

Little Stuff

Frog Mug (Pier 1)

Toad Abode (Pier 1)

Toads in your garden will consume all sorts of pesky insects. They need a shallow pond and some shelter to thrive, so set this colorful ceramic toad house near the habitat and wait. It may take a year, but your yard will soon be hoppin’.

Frog Egg Timer (Amazon)

Susan gave me one of these and I use it every day. So much more fun than your usual boring egg timer.

For the Youngest Frog Lovers

Toddler Blanket Sleeper (Amazon)

Plush Frog (Amazon)

It was tough picking out my favorite stuffed frog, but I liked this one. One of the reviewers on Amazon said, “This little frog is adorable and very well-made. My baby has loved it since he first saw it in his Easter basket at 6 months old. He sleeps with it, sucks on it, flings it around, hits the side of his crib with it, etc. It’s been washed many times and still looks new. Best of all, it’s a safe toy as the eyes are stitching, not beads or buttons. It’s small and travels well.”

For Kids

What kid can resist frog rain boots? Just perfect for a rainy day.

Kids’ Rain Boots (Target)

A Frog Book (Target)

It’s Bertha’s day to try out for the prestigious frog choir, but when she sings…the other frogs cover their ears!

For Adults

Women’s Rain Boots (Target)

Who said only kids can enjoy splashing in puddles in frog rain boots?

Armchair Learning—Kids and Adults

How about learning to identify some frogs this winter before spring comes?

300 Frogs (Barnes and Noble)

Enjoy the holidays!

Susan Newman recently interviewed Gabriela Wagner, more commonly known as “Gabby Wild,” considered the new face of animal activism. She has been dubbed the “guardian angel of wildlife.” Gabby founded The Gabby Wild Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) certified American-based charity that supports wildlife conservation, animal welfare, and some animal rights issues. They work in tandem and in support of non-governmental organizations, research groups, and other non-profits on an international level.

When was your organization founded? Please tell us a bit about its mission, goals…
My passion for animals started when I was four-years-old after saving bunnies and birds in my backyard and after watching The Lion King. This childhood fascination grew into an uncontrollable passion.

What turned me “wild” was caring for a baby elephant, Khun Chai, who unfortunately was stolen from his mother in the wild of Thailand. As a vet student, I spent time trying to nurse him back to health and was having unbelievable success. But after I returned returning back to Cornell University, I learned that his health decayed and that he passed away. I was distraught by his death because had he not been taken from the wild, he would still be alive today. From this experience, I set out on a mission to protect and save animals, small or large, in the clinic and on the field, through veterinary medicine and animal activism.

Read more about Gabby Wild’s Mission >>

What are your organization’s missions and goals?
Through my organization, I travel the world to promote animal conservation through creative fundraising and awareness campaigns. We work through a variety of creative fundraising campaigns, such as competitions, challenges, and travel expeditions. Often we incorporate veterinary care for the animals while promoting their aid/conservation.

What is your educational background and what lead to creating this organization?
I graduated from Cornell University as a double major in biology and animal science. I’m currently a veterinary student at Cornell University.

What are some challenges you have faced and how did you deal with them?
As with all charities, we could always use more donations, as we put 100% of private donation right back into our animals! We have phenomenal enthusiasm, which really helps us get far.

Waxy Monkey Frog

What can people do to help? Donate, and contribute to your cause? Other ideas?
We welcome any volunteers! People wishing to fundraise for one of our animals or host an event with or for us is much appreciated, as we appreciate any method that can simultaneously spread awareness for causes and fundraising for them. We welcome any creative ideas or collaborations with others (such as with fashion designers, musicians, artists, scientists, writers, and other NGO’s, non-profits, research organizations).

We also need help spreading the word about the unique creatures and causes we support! For example, very few know about our March animal, the purple frog! Just sharing the video I made about it is very helpful!

How do you reach your targeted audience? Is it through your website, advertising or social media or another route? Which is most effective and why?
Word of mouth! People trust their friends’ opinions on interesting “happenings,” such as our foundation (if I may be so bold as to say so)!

How do you keep the audience engaged over time?
Keeping our messages simple, fun, and engaging!

Tell us about your events around the world and some of the campaigns you have started.

1) “12 in 12 for 12.” The Fight To Save Twelve Endangered Animals

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more and more animals are making it onto the endangered species list at an alarmingly high rate. In fact, many species are on the verge of extinction. With extinction rates much higher than they have been historically, mainly due to anthropogenic causes, something had to be done. The only question that remained was “what?” but certainly not “by who?”

This time we’re trekking into a different kind of jungle: the fashion jungle. And in this wild world of roaming fashionistas, we have created the fundraiser/awareness campaign known as “12 in 12 for 12″. The name comes from a simple concept: I will be wearing 12 animal-inspired and originally-designed outfits in 12 months for 12 endangered species all throughout 2012. Yes, I am only going to wear 12 outfits for an entire year.

Each month, while wearing one of these twelve outfits, a unique animal will be featured in Gabby Wild media interviews, Gabby Wild blog posts, and on the website to bring about awareness and funds for its conservation and that of its ecosystem.

Vietnamese Mossy Frog

2) Metamorphosis!
Photography Submission of National Geographic Photographer Capturing Academy Award-Winning Makeup Artist Transform the Guardian Angel of Wildlife into Sexy Frogs

Saving frogs from extinction just got “ribbitingly” sexy. Academy and Emmy Award-winning Special FX makeup artist, Brian Sipe, and Emmy Award-winning makeup artist, Jennifer Aspinall, transformed Gabby Wild, an internationally acclaimed conservationist, charity founder, and Ivy-League veterinary student, into a seductive collection of the world’s most stunning amphibians. Dr. Robin Moore, a commended National Geographic photographer, author of Search of the Lost Frogs, and Program Officer for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature SSC Amphibian Specialist Group captured each of the makeovers in order to compile a moving and inspiring collection of photographs intended to raise funds and awareness to the plight of amphibians.

Together this unusual team, epitomizing the intersection between art and science, titled this visual initiative for threatened amphibians Metamorphosis. Sipe describes the creations as “high couture fashion meets Julie Taymor meets what would Lady Gaga do if she were a frog?” Under the whimsical art direction of Jennifer Aspinall, Wild’s transformation into each of the artfully crafted amphibians each took between two to six hours to create despite a makeup and hair team of five Hollywood professionals. Once transformed, Wild modeled alongside the live amphibians, eliciting a series of poses to evoke symbolic messages specific for each species of frog represented.

With amphibians being the most threatened vertebrates on the planet, George Mayer, writer and producer of the animated sitcom The Simpsons, quotes, “If we want save
frogs, we better get hopping…”

In fact, 1/3rd of all amphibians are at risk of extinction mainly due to habitat destruction, disease and climate change, causing groups such as Conservation International, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, The Smithsonian Institute, and Amphibian Survival Alliance to unitedly support this unique project. Funds raised through private and public donations, sponsorships, and ancillary product sales such as Metamorphosis books, calendars, and t-shirts made out of 50% organic cotton/50% recycled plastic will go to amphibian conservation and research projects internationally.

Together conservation science and a little Hollywood magic may just be the trick these amphibians need. More details on the Metamorphosis campaign contact Gabby Wild: [email protected]

What is in the works for the future? What haven’t you yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
Metamorphosis will be “officially” released in 2013! Exclusive amphibian conservation for this campaign is the next big tackle! Please let me know if you have any questions that pertain to Metamorphosis.

To contact or learn more about Gabby Wild, visit the links below:

Mobile Phone (US): (561) 212-1339
Blog: http://gabbywild.wordpress.com
Website: www.gabbywild.com
Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGabbyWild
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gabby-Wild/200877039959729

The view from my stoop in Hoboken the day after Superstorm Sandy

We’re sorry we haven’t published any posts lately. Susan and I live in New Jersey and Superstorm Sandy knocked us out for over a week; we were both without heat and power for many days. In a week or so, we’ll write about how climate change might have “supersized” this storm. It was a freak storm that would have hit hard regardless, but we think that global warming contributed to the devastation it wreaked. This week, however, we thought we’d share our experiences of Sandy.

Here is Mary Jo’s account of the storm (mostly borrowed from her husband John’s email that he sent to concerned friends and family):

On Monday, as Sandy zeroed in on South Jersey, we watched continuous TV reports. We got almost no rain out of the storm, the winds were strong but not excessive in our area, and our sandbagged basement remained bone-dry. Although the forecasts of a dramatic storm surge of six to ten feet for New York Harbor remained in effect, everything seemed quiet into Monday evening. Several people even called in to local news stations calling Sandy a “dud.”

We made periodic checks in our basement starting around 7:00 p.m.. Around 8:15, we were watching weather reports on TV and noticed for the first time a small wet spot on our basement floor. Within five minutes the spot had doubled in size. My son came in from the street and said, “Come out and take a look at this.” Strong streams of water carrying lots of leaves were flowing fast up our street, in the gutters on each side of the street. The surge was here.

At first everyone in our building and neighboring buildings who came out to look at the streams of water was more fascinated than scared; people took pictures and walked around. But the water didn’t stop. Within minutes the whole street was covered with a thin coat of water, and then the water started moving onto the sidewalks. My son Jeremy and my brother-in-law Mark went down into our basement to remove our sump pumps from the windows and nail plywood over them. By now the water in the basement was several inches deep, and Jeremy repositioned the sump pumps as Mark tried frantically to finish nailing the plywood.

Outside, the water was rising fast, starting to cover up cars’ hubcaps. Several people who had left their cars parked in the street ran out and drove away in the mounting water, but many cars remained behind. Water started gushing off the sidewalk into the five-foot stairwell leading to our basement. The caulked door held, but the water filled the stairwell within seconds, and after that kept rising.

In the basement, Mark and Jeremy were well aware that five feet of rising water was just outside the door. And with the water already roaring through our neighbors’ cellar, they saw small jets of water shoot through the mortar of our side wall from next door! They wrapped up their work and ran, splashing, up the inside staircase to the first floor, outside our apartment. Jeremy later said he felt like he had been “in the boiler room of the Titanic.”

We all went out on our stoop and saw that the water was now above the first of our four front steps. Then the lights went out. Several transformers (we counted three) exploded. Fire and police sirens wailed nearby. All the cars still parked on our street began to honk and wail with their automatic alarms (headlights blinking on and off) as the salt water of the surge gradually fried their electronics. As these cars died, they released large amounts of gasoline and oil into the water. In the dim light we watched debris sailing by, still headed up the street.

The water eventually penetrated our basement door. The door’s caulking held, amazingly, but the surge was so strong that it took the door off its hinges and sprayed in. Water soon filled our basement and headed up the inside stairs. Our door is at the top of those stairs. My younger son Tim and one of the women from the second floor splashed down them, grabbed a laundry basket of clothes they saw bobbing in the water, and ran up with it as china and furniture crashed behind them. The backyard, meantime, had also filled as the water flowed through the basement into it; it was soon six feet deep out there, and the water was almost up to our deck. On the street, the parked cars, most of which had now succumbed and were no longer bleating their alarms, were almost up to their windows in water.

We began to realize that the time had come to evacuate our apartment. We started to throw together what things we could, planned how we would transport our cats, and head up to our in-law’s apartment. We thought that our apartment would probably be flooded within a short time. But by 10:30 the current had slowed noticeably. And around 11:00 it slowly came to an almost complete stop.

The water was two steps below our stoop; two steps down the basement stairs; and about two steps short of our deck out back.

Shell-shocked, we lit candles. The immediate danger had ended, but we knew any further rise in the water level could still lead to another evacuation, and we had another high tide in the morning to get through. We slept fitfully all night, getting up about once an hour to look out at a submerged car in front of our building, to see if the water level would change at all. It never did. By dawn, the water level had actually subsided an inch or two. Things were eerily quiet, with only the occasional distant sound of a car alarm disturbing the soft lapping of the waves of what was essentially a huge lake.

On Tuesday the 30th we spent the day marooned in our building. We had no idea when the waters would go away – but by midday they had definitely started falling. The water out front was never more than chest deep, but it was filled with petrochemicals and sewage and was obviously toxic. The water reeked of gasoline and we could see large multicolored sheets of oil atop it. But we were well provisioned and passed the day sitting on our stoop and chatting with our neighbors on both sides of us, who were sitting on their stoops, equally stranded.

At one point a raft with two firemen sailed past. People stuck their heads out windows and yelled questions at them – When would the water go down? Is the pump station working? When will power come on again?

We awoke on Wednesday morning to the sound of helicopters and large trucks. I looked out the window to see that part of the street was dry! National Guard trucks were driving by. We threw on some clothes and ran outside. Freedom! We could walk on a sidewalk again! The waters continued to recede, and by Wednesday afternoon Hoboken’s clean-up had already begun.

Eight days later our power and heat were restored and things got back to normal. I can relate to how Susan describes it below. At some level, it was kind of nice to read by candlelight, while listening to the radio, to unplug from all TV and electronic devices. But it was COLD and we were ecstatic to get heat, lights, and power again. After a week, I was happy to find a store that had fresh milk. I am so appreciative of things I took for granted before.

Here is Susan’s experience:

I know not to mess with Mother Nature. I was mostly worried that the big picture windows in my apartment would crack and come crashing in and we’d be helpless.

Hurricane Sandy made her way to Jersey City Heights and the winds were so strong that I held a glass of wine in one hand and a pillow against me with the other. We weren’t getting much rain but the street lamp outside was swaying back and forth to such a degree, I don’t know how it didn’t just snap.

All of a sudden there was a big crash and I ran to look out the windows, which were wet, so it was a bit hard to see what had happened. Next the fire engines and police raced toward our street just a few doors down. Joined soon by a dump truck trying to remove “stuff” that had landing in the street. I heard sawing but it wasn’t a tree I was seeing.

Then the lights went out. It was about 9 p.m. and I had positioned a flash light on the coffee table so it would be within reach. I grabbed it, walked over to the candles I had set up and started lighting a few.

Outside the activity continued as they were trying to clear the street.
It was too dark to read and too noisy from the wind, to do anything but listen to the storm.
I finally tried to go to sleep and figured I’d go out in the morning and see what had happened to my neighborhood.

When I woke, the first thing I did was email my friends that live around me both up here and down in Hoboken to see that everyone was all right. No answers. Then I texted everyone.
I finally got messages from all, those up in Heights had no power or heat, those in Hoboken all had terrible flooding.

When I went outside the next morning, the first thing I noticed was black roofing pieces all over the place… I walked the few doors down and saw rolls and rolls of roofing material. A few people who live in the red schoolhouse (now condos) told me the entire roofing flew off the building and landed in the street. So that’s what had happened.
______________________________________________________
The rest of my full account starts on Day 5 of no Power or Heat, writing each day.

Hurricane Sandy came through and life has changed. Even “Sandy” has been rebranded. As I listened on the battery operated radio, she went from a Hurricane to a Hurricane Superstorm, to either a hurricane or a superstorm, depending on the program.

I didn’t start writing this detailed account until Day 5, but here’s what happened so far and my thoughts. Some of the simple pleasures I’ve discovered, how I’ve grown, coped, and of course some anger too.

Day 5
It’s Day 5, Friday and the power and heat have been off since Monday at 9pm. I have a stove that works and can be lit with a match. I also have hot water. I’ve never appreciated those two things as much as now.

My next door neighbors and my close friends, we’ve shared things that we had, that the other needed. Candles, candle oil, food, wine, and car power to charge our phones and get some supplies from a local store that we found open.

The new hardware store across from me was open and being generated by the church behind him, so he let me charge my phone, which turned out to be my only connection to others not right here.

My two cats have slept up against me for warmth and one even under the covers! They are so smart and sometimes will snuggle to keep each other warm.

As I write this we are gratefully sitting in the kitchen with sun on us to warm our bodies and hopefully the apt a bit.

My friend, Thomas lent me a little battery-powered radio and so I have been able to listen to the news since Tuesday.

I have many friends down in Hoboken and it sounds just awful, hopefully they are all right, although no power or heat either.

I am also grateful for “down!” I have a down vest that I wear during the day and a down comforter that really helped at night.

It’s been a strange experience being in the home with no power. Obviously, I cannot work and it’s been interesting finding things to do. I cleaned the apt, sorted receipts, and cleaned out the fridge, throwing food away. I did find lots of stuff that was just fine like many jars of jam, peanut butter, soups, and more.

One morning I started writing the content for an upcoming webinar presentation.

I walked around the neighborhood to see what happened the day after and saw terrible destruction. One store on Central Avenue, “Kennedy” had somewhat collapsed. Not sure exactly what happened but we’ll have to see if it can be repaired.

Saw a huge tree that fell over, bringing up the sidewalk and landing on 3 houses and a car.

Down tree crashes into 3 houses and a car in Jersey City Heights

The view outside my windows has changed. I can see the Wiley building in Hoboken on River St and I could never see that building before, so trees that were there blocking it, are gone.

Yesterday a friend told me of an atm that was working so I walked there and got some more cash. Just a few stores are open and accepting only cash.

I will say that I’m quite disappointed with the response effort from Mayor Healy and the local government and CASID (Central Avenue Special Improvement District).

There is no news from anyone about anything. We have street lights out and no one directing traffic, we have minimal cops in patrol cars except maybe every 2 hours?

As I listen to the radio, on the show WNYC “All Things Considered” I hear news about New York, Hoboken, Bayonne, Staten Island, South Jersey, but nothing about Jersey City. It makes me realize the local government has no plan in place to keep the public informed after a disaster like this. Where is the help? How are we to know when we might have power back on to even make plans? Central Avenue is a string of small businesses and restaurants and they have all been closed and dark for days.

Everyone is losing money being “out of business” right now including me.

I’m also quite concerned about the election. It should be postponed for 2 weeks, so that everyone has a chance to vote.

Day 6 – Saturday
It’s morning after a freezing night in here. I can’t believe how many layers of clothing I have on and at night the layers of comforters.

Meanwhile, I just got a text message from my friend Thomas, and he has power. It went on in the night but only to one side of the house where his tenant lives. Hopefully we’ll have power too?

It’s sunny in here again today so we’re warming up.

Last night, just like the last few nights and days, I have been listening to WNYC for news and music. As I was listening to people call in and the stories they were telling, along with the songs being played on “sound check,” I realized how I miss LIVE visual stimulation. I’m not saying the shows weren’t enjoyable—they were. But then I also realized how I should use my imagination to visualize what they are talking about, just as one would when reading a story.

Do I miss the TV where the stories and way too many ads are provided for us? Well, no, but I do miss being able to watch the news in the evening and especially not being able to see what’s happening so close to home.

As an artist who both loves and creates visuals for others, this has been very hard.

I’m imagining we’re living in a different time, like my grandmother. Gathering around the radio for entertainment, or reading and writing during the day while the light is available.

Each day shopping for fresh groceries that will keep for just a few days and what can I cook that will not make leftovers that won’t keep.

What I’ve discovered about the Jersey City government and local CASID. It’s pretty much a do-nothing or at least a non-informative local government. The street lights are still out, stores up and down Central ave are still closed, and all I see is an occasional police car patrolling at night.

No cops to direct traffic, no announcements. Finally as I was headed to the hardware store across the street again, I saw this piece of paper on the window, that power might (“might”) be restored by Sat. or Sunday. So far that’s 6-7 days without the power being restored, and unacceptable.

I heard one listener on the radio call in and say it’s because the unions do not let workers from certain areas in; even though they want to help, so the effectiveness is too slow.

It has made me even more upset from PSE&G, who has been collecting money from me all these years and when it’s time for them to step up and deliver when we really need them, they’re just not there.

Where are the emergency services? Where is our local CASID and government, Congressman, Senators, to help with the citizens? I’d say more than losing heat and power is losing the connection to the community. Hearing what others need or sharing what I may have. Obviously we need a better emergency infrastructure in place.

My neighbors who left to stay in Brooklyn emailed to tell me they heard through a community site that our power was restored, but I emailed them back the reality that no, it’s still off. I’m sure they want to come home.

Headed across to charge phone again and Omar is so nice to help folks like me out!

I walked down Congress street toward the elevator that brings Jersey City Heights residents to Hoboken, and the light rail systems below and of course the elevators were out. I walked down the stairs which are about 14 stories. As I walked crosstown I really started to see the devastation. So many stores and restaurants with most of their flooring, walls, and contents out on the sidewalk. You can also see the water line on the outside of the buildings which was about up to my head, so that’s 5’ + at least.

Church on 9th Street in Hoboken clears furniture and more to sidewalk.

I could hear motors here and there of generators, pumping water out of buildings, people cleaning, repairing, replacing.

Near Hoboken H.S. were lines of people and the Army or National Guard with trucks.

I had called the bank 800 number each day until I finally was told the bank was open in Hoboken and after walking all the way there it was closed. Maybe time to move my bank to the Heights.

So, walking back I stopped by my friend Florence’s to see how she was coping. We hugged and chatted for a little bit and she shared a few precious items from her stores, rice, and soup with me.

Back up those same 14 flights—phew that was tough—and headed back home. I will say after seeing the destruction of Hoboken I’m glad I moved up here to the Heights and higher ground. I know how much worse it could have been.

I did get another email from PSE&G that we may get power today or tomorrow. Didn’t happen. I’ve heard great advice from business entrepreneurs that say a business should always under promise and over deliver, not the other way around.

It’s 3:45 pm and it’s getting cold in here again. I’m wearing 3 layers.

After seeing the destruction in Hoboken today, I know it could have been much worse up here, we at least don’t have water damage and the huge problems the people in Hoboken and other destroyed areas have.

Sunday, Day 7 – no power
I live on Central Avenue which is a shopping district. Bakeries, delis, cleaners, all sorts of small businesses. Our building is residential but I thought that because we need these small businesses open, that the power would have come on sooner.

I run a small business from my home studio and it’s been 7 days now without being able to work. I’m going to call my insurance once the power is on and talk with them about what options I have. It’s a terrible loss for all considering we’re all trying to make a living in this slowly recovering economy. Once the power is restored what am I supposed to do then? Start working 18 hour days to catch up? Also I will need to list out the projects and clients and prioritize like never before. They will have to be patient as I was with getting power back.

I also thought the power might be off for a day or two but a week, I just can’t believe it. I know the workers are now working around the clock, and I commend them and know it’s tough, but why didn’t they mobilze immediately, the next day, why were they finally bringing in more workers 5 days into this?

I will say I have lost my confidence in pse&g. At least after 5 days they started sending daily emails which told us something, not specifics but some general idea of what they were doing. I loved hearing what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said about holding all the utility companies accountable.

The sun is shining brightly through the kitchen windows helping to warm us again.

Yesterday I picked the Jersey Journal and read the entire newspaper. Can’t remember the last time I did that. Not enough photos and information about what’s happening in all the surrounding areas. There were shots (photo opps) of support workers who’ve come to help. This is important of course, but without TV, we need visuals like we would see on the news. I also read a few magazines each day and cleaned the inside of my fridge! It is off and mostly empty so the perfect time.

Another change has been eating dinner very early around 5:30pm and washing the dishes before the light is gone. Thanks to that one powerful flashlight, it helps light the room. Tom suggested pointing the flashlight at the white ceiling and resting it inside a glass, and it illuminates the room, that is so true.

I’m hopeful the power will be restored but if not, I’m headed to Tom and John’s for the evening, because I can’t stay here one more day. I hate leaving my cats behind but know they have fur coats and will snuggle together.

Tom and Johns
As I enter their home at 2pm, the warmth hits me right away. I’m remembering what the inside of our homes is supposed to be like. I started to peel the layers off. First my coat, hat and gloves, then in an hour the down vest, then in another hour, the boots…

I pulled out this laptop and plugged it in, along with my phone and ipod, all recharging. I was finally able to have enough power to call my family, each separately, and talk.

Tom and John and I talked and listened to music and shared the latest news we knew. Then I started writing this all up in Word while John went off to work and Tom did other things for a bit… and I will transfer this at a later date, when the power is finally back on.

We drank some wine, had a lovely dinner, and then relaxed in their livingroom, and I finally got to watch the news. BUT? It was all about the upcoming election and not much about Hurricane Sandy. The problem of being out of touch is that once you are back you’ve missed it all, and now I’ll have to search Google and look at days of news. It’s such a weird experience to see the news again, the “live and visual” experience of it.

So we settled in and watched a movie and I so enjoyed the warmth, wine, and good company. When it was time for bed, it was so nice not having to wear so many layers, my head on the pillow (without a hat), my feet against the sheets and comforter without socks. Not having a freezing cold nose peaking out of the covers.

I slept all right but woke a few times as I was concerned about my cats and how cold it must have been in the night.

Monday, Day 8
I got up around 8 a.m. and made some hot tea. My friend Florence called from Hoboken that she has power as of Saturday night. So glad.

I was hopeful that I might have power also. So packed up my stuff and walked the few blocks home, and no, Central Avenue is still dark. All businesses are still without power, no street lights.

I’m now back sitting at my kitchen table working on this laptop but via battery. I will listen to the news via my radio, get myself ready and head down to Hoboken to take care of some errands.

Restoration and Exhilaration
Walked to Hoboken along Paterson Plank Road as it winds down the hill. So many bent, hanging and downed trees, one leaning into the thin walkway where I almost couldn’t get by and thought I was going to have to turn back and go to stairs again.

As I get to the bottom and start walking crosstown, I see the same kind of devastation I saw on Saturday. Garbage lining the streets, the furniture and insides of the homes and stores. I hear generators giving some power and others are pumping water out. And the smell, just awful.

A few stores are open and others not, with steam-filled windows; I also see cars like this.

By the time I get to the main drag, Washington Street, it’s full of activity, with the National Guard, large trucks with satellite dishes. Next to the Office Depot store there is a large tent set up and a big FEMA truck outside. People can come to this command center to find out information and charge their devices.

I bought some more vegetables and other groceries, and headed to the bus stop for the ride back up the hill to the Heights. The wait is only 15 minutes while I bask in the sunshine and really warm up and off we go. Back on Paterson Plank Road and there’s a tractor trailer stuck in our lane. The police have blocked traffic coming the other way so we can go around him. We make the turn onto Congress Street and as we make the climb I’m looking out the windows ahead of us a think I see a street light on at the top.

I’m so excited! I exit the bus and practically run to my house. I open the door and the hallway light is on! YES! I run up the stairs, opened my door and could already feel the slight change in temperature. I dropped my bags and sat down on the kitchen floor against one of the radiators.

Slowly but surely as the heat continues to come up, it’s taking the chill away from the rooms and from my body. I made a nice warm dinner, poured some wine and turned on the TV, to reset it and watch the news.

This experience has changed me so much. I appreciate the things I have now that I had to do without for 8 days. I’m planning to make a list of things to buy and have should this ever happen again.

Time to plug back into the world and catch up.

Day 9 – The Nor’easter!
After not having power or heat for 8 days and having it finally come back, you can only imagine my shock and disappointment when I woke in the night to see the power and heat off again. When I woke in the morning I then texted everyone and found they all still had power, only I and all of Central Avenue were off again. I hadn’t even left my phone charging so in the morning it had 3 of 5 bars.

I went over to my friend John’s in the afternoon for tea and a recharge… and by the time I came back around 3:30, the power was back.

Phew! I hope this isn’t going to happen each time we get a snowstorm.

73JA9TTT45FN

admin said, on 10/9/2012 1:51:00 PM

Now that school is underway and the weather is getting colder (at least in this part of the world), it’s the perfect time to create some frog art. We hope you will consider submitting your frog art masterpieces to Frogs Are Green for our 2012 Kids’ Art Contest.

Here are the details:

Contest theme: IT’S EASY BEING GREEN!

Your artwork can be about frogs, how we can help them, or about ways we can be green at home, at school, or in the community. Your art can really be anything that inspires you about frogs or other amphibians. A winning piece from last year’s contest, for example, submitted by Ula Lekecinskaite, a 12-year-old girl from the Kaunus Art Gymnasium in Lithuania, celebrates frogs and rainy days:

We will award winners based on age in these age groups: 3-6, 7-9, and 10-12. The winners will receive a Frogs Are Green poster of their choice from our store and a winner’s certificate. All kids who enter the contest will receive a certificate of participation that can be downloaded from our site.

We’re looking for drawings, paintings, sculpture, collage, mixed media, or whatever format helps you express yourself.

Deadline for submissions is December 15, 2012; winners will be announced January 15, 2013. The winners will be featured in a post.

This year we have a new contest area using Flickr, where you can enter yourself. You must add a caption/ description with your Name, Age, and Country or your submission will not be included. Please see the contest page for more details.

We can’t wait to see your artwork!

And photographers—don’t forget that we are still accepting photographs of frogs and other amphibians for our 2012 photography contest. See the contest page.

admin said, on 10/18/2012 6:37:00 AM

We recently read an alarming statistic: it’s possible that only one hundred axolotl salamanders (Ambystoma mexicanum) exist in the wild.  Why should anyone care that a strange Mexican salamander may soon be extinct in its native habitat?

It turns out that this salamander is a remarkable creature. It intrigued the ancient Aztecs because of its strange looks and regenerative powers and was believed to be a manifestation of the god Xolotl, who like Charon in Greek mythology, was the ferryman of the dead to the underworld. To the Aztecs, the salamander’s regenerative  power was like that of the lake system that sustained them.

Most salamanders are able to regenerate body structures to some extent. But the axolotl is unique in that it can regenerate not only limbs, but also its jaws, spinal cord, and more. After these body parts regenerate, there is no evidence of scarring. Axolotls can even receive transplanted organs from other individuals and accept them without rejection.  They are one thousand times more resistant to cancer than mammals. This, of course, has made them of great interest to scientists who study them in captivity.

The axolotl is also one of the few animals that exhibit neoteny, that is, it retains its juvenile characteristics, such as the external gills, which gives the creature its cute looks.

Courtesy of Mascotas.org

But this animal, despite its “smile,”  has a lot to be unhappy about. Its only habitat is the canal system of Xochimilco in Mexico, which is what is left from what was an extensive lake and canals that connected most of the Aztec settlements of the Valley of Mexico. These canals, along with artificial islands called chinampas, attract tourists and other city residents who ride on colorful gondola-like boats around the hundred or so miles of canals. This canal and chinampa system, as a vestige of the area’s pre-Hispanic past, has made Xochimilco a World Heritage Site.

Unfortunately the canals are polluted with both garbage and fecal matter, as well as industrial fertilizers. Other problems include the damage by introduced plant and animal species. Carp and tilapia fish, for example, introduced in the 1960s, eat the eggs of the axototl.

The axolotl faces long odds for survival. It seems that only a complete regeneration and clean up of the historic canals will save this animal that is often considered a metaphor for the soul of Mexico.

Information for this post came primarily from an article and blog post from the LA Times and a Scientific American blog post. Note: the axototl is also know as the ajolote.

admin said, on 11/13/2012 6:09:00 AM

We’re sorry we haven’t published any posts lately. Susan and I live in New Jersey and Superstorm Sandy knocked us out for over a week; we were both without heat and power for many days. In a week or so, we’ll write about how climate change might have “supersized” this storm. It was a freak [...]

admin said, on 11/24/2012 9:32:00 AM

Susan Newman recently interviewed Gabriela Wagner, more commonly known as “Gabby Wild,” considered the new face of animal activism. She has been dubbed the “guardian angel of wildlife.” Gabby founded The Gabby Wild Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) certified American-based charity that supports wildlife conservation, animal welfare, and some animal rights issues. They work in tandem and in support of non-governmental organizations, research groups, and other non-profits on an international level.

When was your organization founded? Please tell us a bit about its mission, goals…
My passion for animals started when I was four-years-old after saving bunnies and birds in my backyard and after watching The Lion King. This childhood fascination grew into an uncontrollable passion.

What turned me “wild” was caring for a baby elephant, Khun Chai, who unfortunately was stolen from his mother in the wild of Thailand. As a vet student, I spent time trying to nurse him back to health and was having unbelievable success. But after I returned returning back to Cornell University, I learned that his health decayed and that he passed away. I was distraught by his death because had he not been taken from the wild, he would still be alive today. From this experience, I set out on a mission to protect and save animals, small or large, in the clinic and on the field, through veterinary medicine and animal activism.

Read more about Gabby Wild’s Mission >>

What are your organization’s missions and goals?
Through my organization, I travel the world to promote animal conservation through creative fundraising and awareness campaigns. We work through a variety of creative fundraising campaigns, such as competitions, challenges, and travel expeditions. Often we incorporate veterinary care for the animals while promoting their aid/conservation.

What is your educational background and what lead to creating this organization?
I graduated from Cornell University as a double major in biology and animal science. I’m currently a veterinary student at Cornell University.

What are some challenges you have faced and how did you deal with them?
As with all charities, we could always use more donations, as we put 100% of private donation right back into our animals! We have phenomenal enthusiasm, which really helps us get far.

Waxy Monkey Frog

What can people do to help? Donate, and contribute to your cause? Other ideas?
We welcome any volunteers! People wishing to fundraise for one of our animals or host an event with or for us is much appreciated, as we appreciate any method that can simultaneously spread awareness for causes and fundraising for them. We welcome any creative ideas or collaborations with others (such as with fashion designers, musicians, artists, scientists, writers, and other NGO’s, non-profits, research organizations).

We also need help spreading the word about the unique creatures and causes we support! For example, very few know about our March animal, the purple frog! Just sharing the video I made about it is very helpful!

How do you reach your targeted audience? Is it through your website, advertising or social media or another route? Which is most effective and why?
Word of mouth! People trust their friends’ opinions on interesting “happenings,” such as our foundation (if I may be so bold as to say so)!

How do you keep the audience engaged over time?
Keeping our messages simple, fun, and engaging!

Tell us about your events around the world and some of the campaigns you have started.

1) “12 in 12 for 12.” The Fight To Save Twelve Endangered Animals

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more and more animals are making it onto the endangered species list at an alarmingly high rate. In fact, many species are on the verge of extinction. With extinction rates much higher than they have been historically, mainly due to anthropogenic causes, something had to be done. The only question that remained was “what?” but certainly not “by who?”

This time we’re trekking into a different kind of jungle: the fashion jungle. And in this wild world of roaming fashionistas, we have created the fundraiser/awareness campaign known as “12 in 12 for 12″. The name comes from a simple concept: I will be wearing 12 animal-inspired and originally-designed outfits in 12 months for 12 endangered species all throughout 2012. Yes, I am only going to wear 12 outfits for an entire year.

Each month, while wearing one of these twelve outfits, a unique animal will be featured in Gabby Wild media interviews, Gabby Wild blog posts, and on the website to bring about awareness and funds for its conservation and that of its ecosystem.

Vietnamese Mossy Frog

2) Metamorphosis!
Photography Submission of National Geographic Photographer Capturing Academy Award-Winning Makeup Artist Transform the Guardian Angel of Wildlife into Sexy Frogs

Saving frogs from extinction just got “ribbitingly” sexy. Academy and Emmy Award-winning Special FX makeup artist, Brian Sipe, and Emmy Award-winning makeup artist, Jennifer Aspinall, transformed Gabby Wild, an internationally acclaimed conservationist, charity founder, and Ivy-League veterinary student, into a seductive collection of the world’s most stunning amphibians. Dr. Robin Moore, a commended National Geographic photographer, author of Search of the Lost Frogs, and Program Officer for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature SSC Amphibian Specialist Group captured each of the makeovers in order to compile a moving and inspiring collection of photographs intended to raise funds and awareness to the plight of amphibians.

Together this unusual team, epitomizing the intersection between art and science, titled this visual initiative for threatened amphibians Metamorphosis. Sipe describes the creations as “high couture fashion meets Julie Taymor meets what would Lady Gaga do if she were a frog?” Under the whimsical art direction of Jennifer Aspinall, Wild’s transformation into each of the artfully crafted amphibians each took between two to six hours to create despite a makeup and hair team of five Hollywood professionals. Once transformed, Wild modeled alongside the live amphibians, eliciting a series of poses to evoke symbolic messages specific for each species of frog represented.

With amphibians being the most threatened vertebrates on the planet, George Mayer, writer and producer of the animated sitcom The Simpsons, quotes, “If we want save
frogs, we better get hopping…”

In fact, 1/3rd of all amphibians are at risk of extinction mainly due to habitat destruction, disease and climate change, causing groups such as Conservation International, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, The Smithsonian Institute, and Amphibian Survival Alliance to unitedly support this unique project. Funds raised through private and public donations, sponsorships, and ancillary product sales such as Metamorphosis books, calendars, and t-shirts made out of 50% organic cotton/50% recycled plastic will go to amphibian conservation and research projects internationally.

Together conservation science and a little Hollywood magic may just be the trick these amphibians need. More details on the Metamorphosis campaign contact Gabby Wild: [email protected]

What is in the works for the future? What haven’t you yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
Metamorphosis will be “officially” released in 2013! Exclusive amphibian conservation for this campaign is the next big tackle! Please let me know if you have any questions that pertain to Metamorphosis.

To contact or learn more about Gabby Wild, visit the links below:

Mobile Phone (US): (561) 212-1339
Blog: http://gabbywild.wordpress.com
Website: www.gabbywild.com
Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGabbyWild
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gabby-Wild/200877039959729

We recently read an alarming statistic: it’s possible that only one hundred axolotl salamanders (Ambystoma mexicanum) exist in the wild.  Why should anyone care that a strange Mexican salamander may soon be extinct in its native habitat?

It turns out that this salamander is a remarkable creature. It intrigued the ancient Aztecs because of its strange looks and regenerative powers and was believed to be a manifestation of the god Xolotl, who like Charon in Greek mythology, was the ferryman of the dead to the underworld. To the Aztecs, the salamander’s regenerative  power was like that of the lake system that sustained them.

Most salamanders are able to regenerate body structures to some extent. But the axolotl is unique in that it can regenerate not only limbs, but also its jaws, spinal cord, and more. After these body parts regenerate, there is no evidence of scarring. Axolotls can even receive transplanted organs from other individuals and accept them without rejection.  They are one thousand times more resistant to cancer than mammals. This, of course, has made them of great interest to scientists who study them in captivity.

The axolotl is also one of the few animals that exhibit neoteny, that is, it retains its juvenile characteristics, such as the external gills, which gives the creature its cute looks.

Courtesy of Mascotas.org

But this animal, despite its “smile,”  has a lot to be unhappy about. Its only habitat is the canal system of Xochimilco in Mexico, which is what is left from what was an extensive lake and canals that connected most of the Aztec settlements of the Valley of Mexico. These canals, along with artificial islands called chinampas, attract tourists and other city residents who ride on colorful gondola-like boats around the hundred or so miles of canals. This canal and chinampa system, as a vestige of the area’s pre-Hispanic past, has made Xochimilco a World Heritage Site.

Unfortunately the canals are polluted with both garbage and fecal matter, as well as industrial fertilizers. Other problems include the damage by introduced plant and animal species. Carp and tilapia fish, for example, introduced in the 1960s, eat the eggs of the axototl.

The axolotl faces long odds for survival. It seems that only a complete regeneration and clean up of the historic canals will save this animal that is often considered a metaphor for the soul of Mexico.

Information for this post came primarily from an article and blog post from the LA Times and a Scientific American blog post. Note: the axototl is also know as the ajolote.