|
Steven Leibman
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center
802-864-1848 ext. 125
sleibman@echovermont.org
Grace Per Lee
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center
802-864-1848 ext. 131
gperlee@echovermont.org
Downloadable images
IT'S A FROG WORLD AFTER ALL
ECHO debuts Global Creatures Exhibit Series on February 24
BURLINGTON,
Vt.— What's red and green and
eats crickets for a midnight snack? Why the newest resident of
ECHO, the red-eyed treefrog, of course. And that's only one of
the many beautiful and bizarre amphibians that make up
FrogWorld -ECHO's premiere exhibit in a new series featuring
world creatures to compare to our regional critters. Opening
February 24, and sponsored by Redstone, the permanent exhibit is
highlighted by interactivities, educational displays, and most
importantly, a bevy of fantastic and otherworldly frogs that are
sure to make thinking globally more fun than ever before.
Phelan Fretz, ECHO's executive director, describes the new
additions as "Incredible. To see these creatures is to be blown
away...the ways these frogs adapt so completely to their
environment is a glimpse of the magic and beauty of our planet."
FrogWorld showcases eleven different frog species from six
continents, including:
- South America's blue poison dart frog, whose toxic skin
is legendary
- Indonesia's Malayan leaf frog, with its hi-tech-looking,
stealth body
- Africa's yellow-and-black-striped painted reed frog
- Asia's Vietnamese mossy frog, with its seemingly
bejeweled, bumpy skin
- South America's steamroller-flat, lightning-quick,
Suriname toad
- Central America's red-eyed treefrog, with huge,
cartoonish eyes
- Australia's calm and "smiling" White's treefrog
- Madagascar's tomato frog, red as catsup
No visit to ECHO is complete without some hands-on
activities, and FrogWorld offers some exciting new
interactive exhibits. Visitors can use 3-D frogs to learn about
frog songs or even challenge themselves to remember the
different calls. Guests will also have the opportunity to
"morph" into a frog, using state-of-the-art software
specifically designed for ECHO. Folks will be photographed, have
the image electronically merged with one of a frog, and then
turn their froggie-face into a free e-card to send to family and
friends. The Animal Care team at ECHO has been working overtime
to prepare for the pint-sized ambassadors. Led by an ethic of
environmental conservation, they began their frog search - more
- FrogWorld/Page 2 with the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) - which
maintains a list of world species and tracks their level of
endangerment or threat. "We didn't consider acquiring frogs with
any level of threat attached," explains Steve Smith, director of
Animal Care and Facilities. "We also worked closely with the
Vermont Fish and Wildlife, and tried to ensure the animals we
chose were not taken from their native habitats." The team put
months of research into recreating the creatures' natural
environs: air temperature and humidity, amount and quality of
light are all factors, as are the plant, water and rock features
of their habitats. "Our objective," says Smith, "is always
finding the right balance that makes the frogs feel most at
home."
FrogWorld expands ECHO's stewardship mission by
demonstrating how our local environment is connected to our
shared planet - and frogs offer compelling proof. Often called
an "early indicator species," their populations quickly reflect
environmental change. Due in part to their skin, which
"breathes" in gasses and makes them particularly susceptible to
toxins, it is also a reflection of their size and dependence on
a very specific habitat. According to the Amphibian Conservation
Summit in 2005, one-third of amphibian species are threatened
with extinction and at least 122 species have been lost
altogether.
Loss of habitat caused by pollution, deforestation and
climate change is the major culprit here. As an early indicator
species, frogs are warning us that this planet we depend on
needs some conscientious attention - a sentiment echoed by the
recent Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change report citing
the "likelihood of a human contribution" towards Earth's warming
climate. "Sometimes it takes something very small to remind us
of something very big," says Phelan Fretz. "Frogs are the canary
in the coal mine here - and they are sounding the alarm."
FrogWorld is the beginning of a new era for ECHO. By
linking the local with the global, ECHO highlights how the
effects of environmental stewardship can ripple into regions far
from home. Even if it's something as simple as not using
chemical lawn fertilizers, or just riding your bike to work
rather than driving, we all play a part in the big picture; we
all have a chance to help these frogs, our environment, and
maybe even ourselves in the process. By bringing the color and
chorus of FrogWorld to the Burlington Waterfront, ECHO offers
the public an engaging opportunity to see how.
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is located at the Leahy
Center for Lake Champlain, on Vermont's Burlington Waterfront.
ECHO features 60 species of live fish, amphibians,
invertebrates, and reptiles, over 100 hands-on experiences, and
major traveling exhibits. The 2.2 acre site is also highlighted
by the Lake Champlain Navy Memorial. Open year-round, 10 a.m.-5
p.m.; closed most Mondays in winter. Admission is $7-$9,
children under 3, and Vermont and New York teachers with I.D.,
are free. For more information visit echovermont.org, call
Toll-Free 1-877-ECHOFUN, or write to ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake
Champlain, One College Street, Burlington, VT 05401. |
1.802.864.1848
