The Frogs Still Living

Theme song: The Boy In The Bubble

As usual, things are confusing.

It's all a mixed bag.

People can't agree on the facts, let alone the reasons.

I try, generally, to ignore this mass of confusion because it makes me feel unsettled. I like quick answers and easy solutions. Call me goal oriented and you'd be right.

Lately, though, I was having a little think and I was rethinking a thought I regularly think which is this:

You know how frogs can be killed by placing them in cold water and then turning on the heat?

The little froggies, as the water slowly heats up, are dead before they know it -- no muss no fuss.

This reminds me of another well-known species called people.

Slowly we have less water, less air, less soil, less dark, more noise, more chemical contaminants in our bodies but we are strong and resilient and so we can ignore these subtle changes (although I suppose that, towards the very end, close to death, the heat starts to get a little worrying. No?).

So, let's talk about frogs. Or, if you are really busy, skip the facts and head to the punchline, below.

Frogs

Frog populations started to decline in the late-80's. People became concerned. People began scrutinizing frogs and frog populations. So now, in terms of photographed and catalogued frogs, we have more than ever.

Over 6,800 species and counting.

On the other hand, we seem to have lost 165 of what we gained and over 500 seem to be endangered beyond hope. And then you have the 30 to 40% whose populations are merely in decline.

The Usual Suspects

Contributing factors may be:

• Global warming
• Habitat modification
• Habitat fragmentation
• Pollution and chemical contaminants
• Ozone depletion
• Disease
• Introduced predators and
• Increased noise

At least they aren't dying of stress-induced heart attacks like the rest of us are.

Frogs in a Coal Mine

As it turns out, frogs are kind of like canaries in a coal mine. Loss of amphibian biodiversity portends -- nothing good.

For the most part, we don't notice and we don't care -- at least not enough to do anything about it, which I completely understand because we are busy tending to family members who have had stress-induced heart attacks or are (working on our own) trying to pay off stress-inducing medical bills.

Priorities.

Besides, before they kill us, these warm chemical baths are actually rather soothing and pleasant -- one might even say soporific (big word, I know).

The Punchline

Anyway, here's my question:

When all is mostly frog and gone, what do the frogs still living say?

Are they looking around wondering where their friends went?

Is it alarming to see their brethren covered in suffocating fungi or sprouting extra limbs?

Do they complain about all the extra noise and light, or are they happy to stay up later and read the paper and shout greetings to their neighbors?

Or do the frogs still living just shake their heads in wonder and say, "Glad it wasn't me?"

Your Turn

What do you think the frogs still living say?

Citations

Amphibian Population Declines

Decline in Amphibian Populations -- Wikipedia

Frightening Statistics