Frog-gone It!

You may be aware of the ongoing honeybee crisis, because when it comes to honey you stay informed. But there are other organisms (ones that don't secrete delicious treats) which are also disappearing at an alarming rate — amphibians, for example. And you should be just as worried about them. Frogs, toads and salamanders are indicator species, meaning that scientists can gauge the general health of an ecosystem by monitoring its amphibian population. And you don't need to be a scientist to realize a complete lack of indicator species would imply "bad thing." Mark Wanner, the Zoological Manager of Amphibians, Aquatics and Reptiles, discusses the loss of amphibians and what scientists are doing about it in a lecture entitled Conversations About Conservation: Amphibian Alert. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Louis Zoo's Living World center in Forest Park. Tickets are $5 to $6, and reservations are requested. Call 314-646-4544 or visit www.stlzoo.org for more information. (EDITOR'S NOTE: This event has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 22.)
Tue., April 22, 2008