Frogs, toads, salamanders, and odd-looking caecilians ─ these are the more than 20 amphibians displayed in the Aquarium's Frogs Forever? exhibit.
Amphibians survived the meteor that wiped out big dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but today they’re under siege from many human-caused threats, including habitat loss, a parasitic fungus called chytrid and hunting for food. At the rate they’re disappearing, we could lose up to half of the world’s amphibians in our lifetimes. You’ll learn which threats impact each amphibian on display and some ways to help protect them.
Poison frogs, tadpole-piggy-backing frogs… meet these and many others in this exhibit. It highlights the diversity and plight of amphibians from around the world and features the amazing transformations they undergo as they bridge life between land and water.
Forever-young salamanders, worm-like caecilians… meet these and many others in this exhibit. It highlights the diversity and plight of amphibians from around the world and features the amazing transformations they undergo as they bridge life between land and water.
This exhibit features transforming fire-bellied toads ─ from eggs to tadpoles to frogs. See their full life cycle from a unique point of view.
As you visit each amphibian display in the Frogs Forever? exhibit, watch for tips to help protect each species, such as cutting down on pesticide use, not introducing unwanted pets into the wild, and protecting your local wetlands.
The Vancouver Aquarium joined forces with zoos and aquariums around the world to help stop hundreds of species from vanishing forever in a global effort called Amphibian Ark (AArk).
The world is facing what may be the single largest mass extinction event since the time of the dinosaurs: almost half of the world's 6,000 known amphibian species could be wiped out in our lifetimes.
The Oregon spotted frog is the most endangered amphibian in Canada. Habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native species into the Fraser River Valley have caused the Oregon spotted frog population to decline rapidly in recent years. In an effort to protect the species, the Aquarium joined the Oregon Spotted Frog Recovery Team in 2000.
Today, working with a team of other local organizations, we breed, raise and release them back to our local wetlands. In 2007, Oregon spotted frog eggs were collected to establish an aquarium-based assurance population. In 2010, we established the first-ever Oregon spotted frog breeding program in an aquarium. In 2011, we released close to 3,000 tadpoles and juvenile frogs into our local wetlands to help grow the dwindling wild populations.
Use your buying power to keep frogs and other amphibians on the planet. Choose organic, sustainable products. Walk and take transit more often to help reduce climate change. Donate and volunteer to help protect your local wetlands, and don’t release your unwanted pets in the wild.
Oregon spotted frogs look a lot like the Columbia spotted frog and the red legged Frog. In fact it takes an expert to tell Columbia spotted frogs and Oregon spotted frogs apart.
