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Frogs! Creating a sanctuary and protecting their habitatsWelcome to this site. Here you will find a lot of information about frogs and how to attract them to your garden, as well as advice on keeping them as pets. We take these creatures for granted, but did you know that they are currently under threat worldwide? It is a sad fact that they are losing their habitats. Pollution plays a huge part in their declining numbers and there is a new and deadly parasitic fungus known as amphibian chytrid.
These creatures are often portrayed in fairy stories and folklore as clumsy, ugly beings but often with hidden talents. Also, in Medieval Europe, some religions, notably Catholicism, believed that this particular amphibian represented the Devil due to the fact that Witches used them as 'familiars'.
The Ancient Egyptians believed that a frog-headed goddess called Heket, and her husband Khnumu (who had a goat’s head) brought about the creation of man and other gods. In hieroglyphics Heket is depicted as a frog and the number 100,000 was symbolized by a tadpole. It is presumed this is because of the abundance of tadpoles at certain times of the year. The most famous event though between man and frogs occurred around 1000 BC in the city of Rameses where according to the Bible, a plague of frogs was seen as the second in a chain of ten catastrophes that happened because of unprovoked bad behavior by the Pharaoh. It is more than likely that this legend was based on a successful breeding season, resulting in extraordinary numbers of frogs spreading over the nearby countryside. It could well be that the consequent plagues of insects and disease may well have happened as a result of most of these poor creatures in the absence of adequate amounts of food, dying and decaying in the North African summer.
They were also represented in China and India, as they believed that the world rested on the back of a gigantic frog and that earthquakes were the result of his slightest movement. Other folklore has it that eclipses of the moon were due to a frog eating it. The Maya Indians of Central America thought that the creature was a partner of the god Chac. Chac made the rains come and the frog Uo calls out to Chac when it is time for Chac to soak the earth with water from his gourd (A container or ornament made from the hollowed and dried skin of this fruit).
In the Middle Ages, frogs and toads have been associated with witchcraft as mentioned above. The toad's saving grace was that it was believed at that time to have a precious stone hidden in its head. The stones were known as 'toadstones' and were thought to bear magical powers including destroying poisons and curing stomach pains and aches. William Shakespeare refers to this toadstone in As You Like It when the words are : Sweet are the uses of adversity; Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous; Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.'
Today people still believe that handling one or a toad will cause you to have warts.
In Australia the water-holding frog is used by aborigines as a source of water. Apparently when squeezed they produce quite a sizeable quantity of so-say pure water from their bladders!
In the western world however, they tend to find themselves used in the name of science and education - they are often dissected in the classroom/science laboratory and the most common type used is the Rana temporaria and the Rana pipiens. These specimens are not however used in the work of herpetology but instead in the coursework of students comparing anatomy and physiology of for example, the lizard and the rate.
Also today, they are widely accepted as a good food to eat, and are eaten in France as well as in Asia. In the West Indies, you could find yourself eating a Mountain Chicken frog.
So these creatures have been with us for many many centuries, and it would be so sad to lose them. So what can YOU do to help in ensuring that they survive today?
The best thing that you can do is to first of all understand them, and then create a supportive environment in which they can live, breed and hibernate. This is so essential in the survival of this little creature - let's look at how we can help. Create a pond
Build your pond in a shaded area preferably, with pond liner inside the pond (to keep the water in), with a few shallow edges for the tadpoles, and no fish. Amphibians rely on a good network of ponds. The reason that they don't rely on one pond is that if one becomes damaged it can be recolonised quite fast. If there are frogs within 1000m, and the pond is suitable, they will often come without any help from us - you will notice that your little amphibian-haven garden is gradually becoming home to families without any other help from you other than adding the pond in the first place. Other ways of creating a suitable amphibian garden is by not keeping your garden too tidy! This is quite difficult for some people! But your efforts in keeping your garden on the 'wild side' will pay-off quickly as the amphibian population get to hear about it and thank you for it! They love the wilder type of garden, that has leaf piles, garden debris, rocks and logs. This creates a shady, damp environment which is perfect for all amphibians! Because all amphibians breathe partially - even totally - through their skin, they are extremely sensitive to toxic chemicals in the environment. Therefore, you should try to avoid using chemicals of any sort. There are usually other methods you can use to keep pests under control that are more natural and less harmful to garden wildlife. Also another good thing about having these creatures in your garden, is that you won't need to use Slug pellets as they eat slugs! What a bonus!
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Build a pond in your garden. Creating a pond isn't as difficult as it sounds, and can really add to your garden's 'look and feel'. Most of us are captivated by pond life - a pond creates an enchanted feeling and draws us into a different world whilst we are next to it. Everybody loves to be near the water and nature, and a garden with a pond is so appealing.
Useful Information
Toads can predict earthquakes
Set up a Vivarium
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