Learn about our amphibians

There are around 200 frog species in Australia, many of these endemic. As amphibians frogs rely on the presence of water, they need to keep their skin moist and need water to complete their lifecycle. Not always an easy task on the driest continent on the planet.

Some species inhabit the wettest parts of our continent, such as tropical rainforests and alpine swamps. Others have developed unique adaptations to take advantage of Australia’s intermittent rainfall patterns. Some species have even colonised the arid interior and survive prolonged dry spells by burrowing for long periods of time and only emerge after heavy rainfall.

Frogs are regarded as very good indicators of water quality and environmental health; their skin is permeable and they are very sensitive to changes in air and water quality. Frog populations in Australia, and around the world, are in decline. This is mainly thought to be a result of climate change, air and water pollution but land clearing, habitat fragmentation, changes in hydrology and disease may also be contributing factors. This is bad news as frogs play an important role in ecosystems, as both as predators and as prey they are an integral part of may food webs.

Want to learn more about these fascinating creatures?

The Mudgee Microscope Group would like to invite all interested to join them for an evening exploring frogs with our guest speaker David Coote, Senior Threatened Species Officer with the Biodiversity and Conservation Division.

We will learn about the range of frog species from the Mudgee Area as well as some interesting facts about frogs in general. David’s talk will also cover the status of frogs worldwide, in Australia and in NSW. We will also look at a case study of the Booroolong Frog and find out what we all can do for frogs.

Frog Night will be held in the Straw Bale Shed, Australian Rural Education Centre on Thursday, 31 October from 6:30-8:30pm. The cost for the evening is $10 and includes dinner (BYO drinks). All welcome but children must be accompanied by an adult.

To register please visit our website: http://watershedlandcare.com.au/wslc-events/frog-night.

For further information or to RSVP please contact Agness Knapik, Watershed Landcare Coordinator, on 0435 055 493 or by email: info@watershedlandcare.com.au.