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Free mini exhibition celebrates frogs and toads in Durban
The exhibition, which is free to the public, will be open from 09:00 to 16:00 this Saturday and Sunday and will highlight the diversity of frog species found in South Africa.
A mini exhibition of frogs and toads outside Dangerous Creatures Reptile House in the uShaka Village Walk will be hosted this weekend, February 25 and 26.
The South African Association for Marine Biological Research’s (SAAMBR) exhibition is free to the public, and will be open from 09:00 to 16:00 on both Saturday and Sunday, and will highlight the diversity of the frog species found in South Africa.
The herpetologists and education staff are looking forward to sharing information on what we all can do to ensure that South Africa remains an ideal home to these very important amphibians.
Jerome, the Giant Bullfrog, will be one of the frogs on display at the mini exhibition on camera while undergoing his routine medical health check.
One of the parameters, senior herpetologist Lesley Labuschagne checked for, was weight gain. As can be seen in the image, this hefty frog weighed in at almost 1kg. Weight gain means different things to different animals, and if you are a frog, a mere 50-gram weight gain is cause for celebration.
Giant Bullfrogs are indigenous to South Africa and spend most of the year underground in cocoons. They are one of the largest species of frog in South Africa, and as anyone who has ever followed the children’s classics knows, they are to be celebrated and treasured.
Not only do they eat whatever bugs them, they eat whatever bugs us too like flies, mosquitoes and all sorts of other insects. So happy frogs mean happy people.
Unfortunately, South Africa’s frog populations are declining due to development and the subsequent loss of suitable habitat.
If you are unable to hop down to uShaka Marine World and visit the exhibition, perhaps set aside some time to sit in your garden or the local park and listen to the sounds of frogs and toads and be grateful that these very important amphibians are part of your world.
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