Isn’t there just something ridiculously peaceful about sitting by your pond while the sun sets?
The birds are settling down for the night, soft light and beautiful colours are reflecting off the surface of the water and the frogs are serenading you with the song of their people. Perhaps you should spare an extra thought for our little croaking friends while you sip your cuppa, because tomorrow is Save The Frogs Day and we think that’s pretty important considering all they do for us and the dangers that they face.
Frogs are particularly susceptible to environmental changes, so our shifting climate can have some pretty bad repercussions for them. According to Global Wildlife Conservation: “Amphibians are a weathervane in the modern-day storm of extinctions: if we watch them, we can tell when dangerous changes are afoot for both nature and people.” This is unsurprising when we consider the fact that while amphibians are one of the more adaptable varieties of creature, they have been around for over 300 million years after all, they are also one of the most delicate. This is why the presence of frogs often means that your ecosystem is healthy, but it is also why extinction is a very real possibility for a third of our amphibian species.
Luckily, just by having a pond or dam, you’re already helping our froggy friends out. Most breeds of frog need to lay their eggs in water so if a permanent source isn’t available, their population and health suffer. If your water body and surrounding landscape don’t already incorporate greenery, tomorrow is a great time to consider adding some in. Plants add to the natural appeal of your little retreat and carry a range of benefits for frogs and other native friends including added protection from predators and an easy way for them to replenish their water levels without needing to go for a swim. This is particularly important when the weather is particularly hot, dry or windy.
You’ll find this relationship to be beneficial to you as well, as frogs can help improve the overall condition of your ecosystem while limiting the population of pests such as mosquitoes and providing you with a solid indicator of how healthy your pond and other organisms in the area are. Plants also create oxygen which will benefit your water body and its inhabitants so everyone wins.
Frogs are also often considered to be bringers of luck, wealth and growth so if you’re into that kind of thing, tomorrow could be your lucky day. If you don’t have a pond yet, but would like one, check out our handy how to guide for starting your own pond or fill out a service request if you’d like us to get everything nicely set up for you. If you already have a preexisting set up but you’d like to make it more friendly for frogs and other native animals, submit a general enquiry and we’ll drop you some tips.
