Families, Students Recruited To Help Solve Mysterious Problems With Frog Deformities And Disappearances

The Department of the Interior, in partnership the National Wildlife Federation and Martin and Chris Kratt of the popular public television series "Kratt's Creatures", will host a Frog Pond Picnic for young people at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on Tuesday, September 22, beginning at 10:15 a.m.

Around the world, scientists have noticed vanishing frog populations and increasing numbers of die-offs and deformed frogs and toads. Although several possible threats are being studied, scientists have not yet been able to point to clear causes.

"Amphibians are tough creatures that have been on earth for 350 million years," Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt said. "Suddenly in recent years we are seeing patterns of serious declines and deformities and we need help from classrooms and families to identify and help solve these problems. It's hard to imagine a world without frogs."

The Frog Pond Picnic will launch a number of new initiatives to enlist the support of families and educators to assist in monitoring the health of frog and toad populations in their communities, and to use the Internet to record and share their observations, leading to better understanding of the places and situations where frogs are in greatest trouble.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) will introduce new classroom instructional materials, review recent NWF monitoring activities, and offer families information about Backyard Wildlife Habitats that include frog ponds and reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides that threaten and pollute frog habitat.

A new "Frog Force" will be launched at the Picnic with students from local schools that have been involved with Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and other area students. They will be taught to look and listen for frogs and toads in nearby ponds, to use the Internet to record their findings, and be introduced to a new Internet site, "Frogweb.gov" for students and families nationwide to learn about frog and toad populations and to record local information and observations.

Media are welcome to attend the Frog Pond Picnic, and will be given opportunities to interview Secretary Babbitt, NWF President Mark Van Putten, Martin and Chris Kratt following their remarks, as well as amphibian biologists and herpetologists and other guests.

Directions: (directly across Anacostia River from National Arboretum) From New York Avenue: Take Kenilworth Avenue (south) just past Eastern Avenue. Turn Right on Quarles Street and left on Anacostia Avenue. Entrance is on immediate right. From Benning Road: Left on Kenilworth Avenue to Burroughs Avenue (west) to Lee Street to 40th Street (all very close together); at end turn right onto Anacostia Avenue, entrance to Aquatic Gardens is 1/8 mile on left.