Date: April 17, 2012
Public Invited to a Fun Filled Day of Walks, Talks, and Activities Related to Amphibians
Yosemite National Park will be hosting the "Save the Frogs Day" on Saturday, April 28, 2012 beginning at 10:00 a.m. and lasting throughout the day. The public is cordially invited to participate in a day filled with interpretive nature walks, educational booths, films, and special guests, which are all centered on amphibian awareness. All of the events are free and originate in Yosemite Village in front of the Visitor Center. The event is sponsored by the National Park Service, the National Wildlife Federation, Save The Frogs, and DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.
Activities begin at 10:00 a.m. with the "Frog Fair," which includes tables with fun activities, educational displays, research, interpretation, and sustainability. The "Frog Fair" will last until 4:00 p.m. Additionally, there will be an amphibian Junior Ranger program at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, two interpretive "frog walks," indoor talks regarding the status of the amphibian population, and a special showing of the PBS Nature film, "Frogs: The Thin Green Line." There will be a host of educational materials and free frog themed bracelets, pins, postcards, etcetera, available throughout the day. In addition, Ranger Rick and a frog friend will be making special appearances during the fair. For more information, please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm (click link to the current "Yosemite Guide") or visit www.nwf.org.
Schedule of Events:
- 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.: Amphibian Junior Ranger program
- 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.: The Amphibian Extinction Crisis, Michael Starkey, Ecologist and Save the Frogs Advisory Committee Chair
- 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.: Cooks Meadow Frog Walk, Steve Thompson, NPS Branch Chief Wildlife Management
- 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.: Yosemite Amphibians in Peril, Heather McKenny, NPS Aquatic Ecologist
- 12:00 p.m.: Meet the Frogs of Yosemite and My Backyard, Beth Pratt, National Wildlife Federation
- 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.: "Frogs: The Thin Green Line," PBS Nature Film
This is the first time that Yosemite National Park will be celebrating "Save the Frogs Day." However, this marks the fourth year the event has been held throughout the world with more than 200 events in 30 countries. "Save The Frogs Day" is the world's largest day of amphibian education and conservation action. Events are currently planned in Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, and the multiple locations throughout the United States.
Amphibian populations are declining throughout the world, including in Yosemite National Park, where the Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog is on the verge of extinction. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of the plight of amphibians worldwide. It is hoped that public education at events like these will raise awareness and result in the stabilization of populations of frogs and other amphibians.
