Texas Nature Trackers: Texas Amphibian Watch
Amphibians are more important than you might think. No, not as the sources of warts and princes, but as a barometer of the health of the environments we all share. At an international conference in 1989, scientists all over the world became alarmed at what appeared to be dramatic declines in some amphibian populations. Then, in 1995, a group of school children in Minnesota were the first to notice an alarming rate of malformed limbs in some frog populations. Because amphibians use wetland habitats during at least part of their life cycle and because they have permeable skin, ecologists believe that declines in amphibian populations and malformations may serve as early warning indicators of broader changes in ecosystems.
Texas Amphibian Watch gives you a chance to help us understand what frogs, toads, and salamanders are telling us about the world around us. Texas has an interesting array of about 30 types of salamanders and over 40 anurans (frogs and toads), ranging in diversity from the albino cave-dwelling Texas Blind Salamander to the bleating Sheep Frog of South Texas to the eel-like Amphiuma of East Texas streams. You can participate in Texas Amphibian Watch at several levels, depending on your time and interest.