What is a frog?

Frogs are amphibians–living in and out of water at different stages of their lives–and direct descendants of the first animals to leave the oceans. As a result, their lungs are quite simple, and don't provide as much oxygen as the frog actually needs. In order to survive on land, frogs also have to absorb oxygen through their skin. This works properly only if the skin is kept moist, which is why amphibians always live near water, even when they don't live in it.

Unfortunately, increasing levels of air and water pollution around the world are having a deadly effect on frog numbers. Dirty air and water make it harder for the frog's skin to absorb oxygen, and they literally suffocate.

In Australia, the struggle to survive was made even harder when the cane toad was introduced. This powerful, poisonous amphibian breeds rapidly, has no natural predators and quickly uses up exactly the same resources that native frogs need to live. (In ecological terms, it 'fills the same niche' and then 'out–competes' them.)