The Surinam toad, who lives in water, protects her young by carrying the eggs and tadpoles embedded in the skin of her back, until they hatch as tiny, fully formed toadlings. The fire-bellied toad, whose dull brown back matches the ground cover of its native habitat, warns away potential predators by flashing its brilliant scarlet underside. The Asiatic horned frog has camouflage so incredible it seems to disappear against a leaf. Photo by Amy Snyder.
Frogs are remarkable creatures, but there is a limit to the conditions they can adapt to.
The clearing of the rain forests is destroying the habitats of countless species. A frog's moist, permeable skin makes it vulnerable to pesticides and herbicides, high concentrations of fertilizers, changes in the ozone layer, and fungal and viral infections. Frogs are disappearing all over the world. Photo by Amy Snyder. This cultural aspect of our relationship with frogs and toads was exhibited throughout the show, with selections from literature, images from cultures around the world, and whimsical toys, from Beatrix Potter's Jeremy Fisher to stuffed amphibian Beanie Babies.