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Amphibian Watch

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:16:05 GMT

Amphibian Watch
Texas Amphibian Watch & Monitoring Workshop
Friday, March 20th 2009,
BEC Auditorium, Houston Zoo
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $5.00

What better year to learn more about native frogs and toads than the “Year of the Frog”? This workshop is designed to help familiarize you with local amphibians. Texas Amphibian Watch also offers you the opportunity to help conserve amphibians in Texas. Volunteers of this program play an important role in being the eyes and ears in Texas.

You can get involved by:
Being an Amphibian Spotter- keeping your eyes peeled for amphibians wherever you go.

Adopting a Frog Pond- picking a site you will visit over time to watch (and listen) for changes in the populations.

Malformation Monitoring- examining frogs and toads at your site to look for any abnormalities

Conducting a Texas Frog and Toad Survey- you will establish listening stops on a roadside route that is part of a national monitoring system

The cost for this workshop is only $5 and includes a CD of the calls of Texas frogs and toads. The workshop will run from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm, ending with a walk on zoo grounds and around the HermanPark pond to listen for and spot frogs and toads.

For information please contact Rachel Rommel. You will then bring $5 in the form of cash to the workshop.

Home Page- Fun Facts

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:47:28 GMT

Now you see me, now you don't! Check out on our blog how amphibians use camouflage to be masters of disguise.

Volunteer to study native frogs, toads, salamanders and newts

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:58:12 GMT

One of the most important things you can do to help ensure a future for amphibians is to volunteer your time to survey and monitor wild populations in your region. A number of government agencies and conservation organizations provide opportunities for private citizens to participate directly in wildlife conservation efforts.

To become involved, we encourage you to contact Frogwatch USA, a collaboration between the National WildlifeFederation and the US Geological Survey.

You may also wish to investigate opportunities offered by Texas Nature Trackers' Amphibian Watch Program.

Just For Kids

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:36:37 GMT

Kids Coloring Sheets Houston Zoo 2008 Year of the Frog Coloring Sheet Tiger Salamander Coloring Sheet Caecilian Coloring Sheet Leopard Frog Coloring Sheet Striped Newt Coloring Sheet Bull frog Coloring Sheet Fun Frog Kid Crafts Frog Paper Bag Craft Instructions Frog Paper Bag Craft Cut Out From Polliwog to Frog Craft Frog Pony Bead Pattern Frog Sock Craft Puzzles Amphibian Word Scramble Amphibian Word Search Toads Need A Home Too - Make Toad Abodes! A toad with a secure home is a happy toad indeed. A first simple step any family can take to help amphibians is to invite toads to move into their backyard by supplying them with cozy toad houses. A friendly toad will gobble up many harmful bugs that come into your garden. Toads are most active at night feasting on those pesky pests, but during the day need a dark, cool place to hide from predators and the hot sun. If a toad feels at home in your...

In The Field

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:37:59 GMT

During the course of the year, we will have the pleasure of bringing you news about amphibian conservation efforts directly from the field. In some cases these will be reports filed by Houston Zoo staff who are working with native or exotic species, but we also expect to receive regular updates from our colleagues working in other states and countries – all of which we are happy to share with visitors to this website. September 2008 Salamanders of Appalachia The eastern United States, specifically the Appalachians, has an extraordinary diversity of salamanders. Paul Crump, from Houston Zoo’s Department of Conservation and Science, joined colleagues from another zoo for a field trip to this region. The trip took them through 5 states and with about 60 species of reptiles and amphibians seen. Over 40 of these were salamanders. April 2008 Houston Toad Release At the end of April 2008, the final release of the 2007 Houston Toad head start program was done. 70 adult Houston toads...

Amphibian Advocates

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:01:59 GMT

September Amphibian Advocate of the Month Paul Crump Amphibian Conservation Programs Manager Houston Zoo The Houston Zoo's own expert herpetologist, Paul Crump, is responsible for Zoo conservation projects that target threatened native Texas and exotic Panamanian amphibians, including captive breeding, reintroduction, and field and laboratory research. Paul earned his undergraduate degree in Genetics from the University of Wales in 2005 and has been employed by the Houston Zoo for the past five years. In that time he has distinguished himself as an active participant in Project Golden Frog, a member of the steering committee of the AZA's Amphibian TAG, and a Visiting Scholar in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at Rice University. Previous Month Amphibian Advocates Dr. Joseph R. Mendelson III Curator of Herpetology, Zoo Atlanta Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology, Utah State University Ph.D. University of Kansas, 1997 Dr. Mendelson has...

Houston Zoo Ticket Prices

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:53:08 GMT

Houston Zoo Pricing General Admission Group Rates Children 0-1 FREE FREE Children 2-11 $6.00 $5.00 Adults 12-64 $10.00 $8.00 Senior 65 + $6.00 $5.00 Carousel Wild Life Carousel Tokens for Members $1.00 $1.00 Members Join Now! FREE FREE More on Hours & Pricing/Free Days Click on today at the zoo to find out what special keeper chats are taking place and other special activities. If you have other specific questions, you...

Frequently asked questions about Lone Star Card admissions.

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:58:37 GMT

Q: How do I take advantage of this opportunity?
A: Just show your Lone Star Card and a valid photo ID (Texas Drivers License or Texas Department of Public Safety photo ID card) at the admission booth and fill out a short application form to receive your tickets.

Q: What kind of information does the application form require?
A: The application form asks for your name, the name of a spouse or other adult/guardian approved to use the Lone Star Card, your address, your Texas Drivers License or DPS photo ID number, your phone number, an e-mail address (if applicable), the date the application is made and your signature.

Q: Is there a limit on the number of people who may visit using the Lone Star Card?
A: The holder of the Lone Star Card may be accompanied by up to 7 family members for a total of 8 people per visit.

Q: Is there a limit on the number of times per year I may visit the Zoo using the Lone Star Card?
A: No.

Q: Are there any restrictions for guests using the Lone Star Card for Zoo admission?
A: Yes. The Lone Star Card is valid for Zoo admission only and is not valid for Wildlife Carousel tickets, Hermann Park miniature train tickets, stroller, wheelchair or motorized scooter rental, gift shop or concession purchases or ticketed special events such as the Zoo lecture series, Feast with the Beasts, and education classes.

Q: May members of my family present my card for admission?
A: No. Only the registered card holder(s) may present the card. Family members and minor children must be accompanied by the card holder.

Q: May I bring food and beverages to the Zoo?
A: Yes. All we ask is that you follow a few simple rules and that you be mindful of our animals and their home. Glass bottles, alcoholic beverages, and plastic straws are not permitted in the Zoo. Please deposit trash in designated trash containers and recyclable materials (aluminum, plastic, and glass) in designated recycling containers.

The Houston Zoo is a non smoking area.

Maps & Directions to the Houston Zoo

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:24:45 GMT

Where is the Zoo? The Houston Zoo is located in Hermann Park adjacent to the Texas Medical Center and the Museum District. Our address is: Houston Zoo 6175 Golf Course Drive Houston, Texas 77030 713-533-6500 Ride MetroRail! The arrival of METRORail brings a new era of transportation to Houston. It's a fast, convenient and safe way to travel between Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, the Texas Medical Center, Reliant Park and the South Fannin Park & Ride lot. With frequent service and the capacity to carry up to 400 passengers per trip, METRORail will help cut through congestion in these heavily traveled areas. Click here for a METRORail Map and here for a METRORail Schedule through Hermann Park. Save $1 on an adult admission when you ride METRO to the Houston Zoo (One offer per person). Present any current METRO bus or METRORail ticket at the admission booth to receive your discount. Carpooling and riding the METRO bus or METRORail system are good...

Houston Zoo Hours - Open 364 Wild and wonderful days a year!

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Houston Zoo Hours The zoo does not offer rainchecks or refunds Daylight Savings Time March 9 - November 2 9a.m. - 7p.m. Last ticket sold at 6p.m. Central Standard Time November 3 - March 8 9a.m. - 6p.m. Last ticket sold at 5p.m. Free Days Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Columbus Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving and New Year's Day Zoo is closed only on Christmas day! Buy your tickets before you arrive. Purchase discount Zoo tickets at any of the 33 Fiesta Mart stores across the Houston area. Visit the courtesy booth of any Fiesta Mart in the Houston area to purchase an adult Zoo admission for $8 and a child Zoo admission for $5. Tickets will be valid for...

Global & Local Conservation Projects

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:27:01 GMT

The combined effect of habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and chytrid cannot be addressed solely in the wild. Captive assurance populations have become the only hope for many species faced with imminent extinction and are an important component of an integrated conservation effort. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, with their demonstrated expertise in endangered species breeding programs, have been called upon to meet this conservation challenge. The Houston Zoo is involved in two primary amphibian projects: Global- El Valle Amphibian Rescue Center In recent years, conservation biologists have drawn our attention to a worldwide decline in wild populations of frogs, toads, and salamanders - a phenomenon that has come to be called the Global Amphibian Crisis. While habitat loss is still considered the most serious threat to the majority of species, especially in the humid tropical forest regions of the world, a fungal disease known as chytrid has been identified as...

See Houston Zoo Amphibians

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:34:48 GMT

Just like all of the amazing animals residing at the Houston Zoo, amphibians on exhibit here serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. By visiting and observing these animals in our Reptile House you have the opportunity to appreciate these fascinating and colorful animals up close and personal and thereby feel naturally more compelled to protect them in the wild. The Reptile and Amphibian House at the Houston Zoo is home to about 100 individual amphibians of 25 species in 15 exhibits. The species range from the tiny Amazon Poison Frog (Dendrobates ventrimaculatus) that is barely larger than a thumbnail, to the Giant Waxy Money Treefrog (Phyllomedusa bicolor) that can reach six or seven inches long. All three amphibian orders are represented and a diverse group of families are also displayed. Considerable attention is placed on displaying various amphibian reproductive modes. In this section we will regulary showcase amphibians calling the Houston Zoo home. Solomon...

Donate Now to Support an Endangered Amphibian

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:04:30 GMT

Houston Toad The Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis) is a Texas Native In Need. It was the first amphibian granted protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Historically, the Houston toad ranged across the central Texas coast, but disappeared from Harris and surrounding counties in the 1960s following extended drought and Houston's urban expansion. In the last half-century the species has suffered devastating population reductions. The Houston Zoo has taken on a head-starting project as part of its ongoing commitment to the survival of native Texas wildlife. The Houston Zoo has joined with a number of other zoos and aquariums, academic institutions, and international conservation organizations to establish the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center in central Panama. The following Amphibians are some of the species that we are trying to save. Show your support for Amphibian Conservation and donate to one of these beautiful animals...

About Amphibians

Wed, 07 May 2008 14:47:52 GMT

Amphibians are vertebrates – backboned animals - along with fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. They were, in fact, the first vertebrate creatures to venture from the seas to the land way back in the Devonian Period some 350 million years ago. Many different kinds of amphibians have evolved during that time, but today they are represented by three distinct orders: Anura (the tail-less frogs and toads), Caudata (the tailed salamanders, newts, mudpuppies, hellbenders, axolotls, amphiumas, and sirens), and Gymnophiona (the legless caecilians). Amphibians live on all continents except Antarctica. They are all smooth-skinned creatures that lack scales, feathers or hair. Amphibians are also ectotherms, which means that their internal body temperature typically remains very close to that of their surroundings. Many species have a dual lifestyle, starting out as gill-breathing, fish-like larvae that hatch from eggs deposited in fresh water and dramatically transforming into...

Leap Day Trivia

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:21:17 GMT

When is a Frog not a Frog? The answer is, When it’s a toad. Biologists use the word frog to refer to all members of the Order Anura – amphibians that lack tails. These include frogs, which tend to have smooth skin, bulging eyes and long strong legs, and toads, which tend to be stocky, have warty skin, and possess shorter hind legs. All toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. Got it? Look, Ma, No Hands … Or Legs! Most folks are familiar with the more common amphibians – frogs, toads, salamanders and newts – but few have ever heard of a caecilian, and probably would mistake one for a worm or a snake. Caecilians are entirely limbless and live either below ground or underwater, so they are rarely seen. Their skin is smooth, their eyes are barely developed, and the largest ones grow to four feet or more in length. Caecilians are known from the American, African and Asian tropics. You Might Find This One Hard to Swallow! Very often, a frog or toad will attempt...

Video Gallery

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:00:45 GMT

Kermit Lobbies Congress Leap of Faith Panama's forests are falling silent. A microscopic fungus is sweeping through the jungles of Central America, killing large numbers of amphibians with which it comes in contact. But there is hope. In the small village of El Valle de Anton, nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano, an international team of zoos and other conservation organizations is locked in a desperate race against time, attempting to safeguard threatened frogs, toads and salamanders from extinction. Shot on location, Leap of Faith puts you on the front line of a scenic battleground with a team of conservation biologists as they struggle to save the golden frog, a cultural icon, and other native species. The video tells the story of the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC), a project initiated by the Houston Zoo, and the dedication of biologists Edgardo Griffith and Heidi Ross to protecting amphibian diversity in Panama.

Home Page- Explore Frog Habitats Tile

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:43:11 GMT

Home Page- See Amphibians Tile

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:37:10 GMT

Artists for Amphibians

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:41:49 GMT

Proceeds from artwork sold on this page benefit Amphibian Conservation at the Houston Zoo. If you are interested in purchasing any of the following pieces of fine art please contact Rachel Rommel. Featured Artist: Gamini Ratnavira Gamini Ratnavira was born and raised in tropical Sri Lanka. As a self-taught artist he uses his photographic memory and life experiences to produce vibrant, colorful images of the rain forest flora and fauna, which are complimented with intriguing stories and research information about each painting. His paintings reveal his love for art coupled with an unrestrained, lifelong reverence for nature and animals. After earning unequaled praise in his native land, Gamini moved to the United States where he continues a successful art career in Southern California. He is a member of the Society of Animal Artists and has exhibited with Birds in Art and Arts for the Parks Top 100 tours. Gamini has exhibited in shows across the United States and his work is now...

Teacher Resources

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:33:33 GMT

Here you will find information resources for use by Teacher/Youth Leaders. Keep checking back as we will add more information soon! Photo courtesy of Bill Konstant Fact Sheets These fact sheets provide background information for volunteers, docents, educators, and media communications. Global Amphibian Crisis Zoos and Aquariums Take Action for Amphibians Amphibian Alert Curriculum This curriculum aims to teach children what amphibians are and why amphibian population declines are important to scientists and communities throughout the world. The amphibian decline dilemma represents an outstanding opportunity for educators to introduce into the classroom a real-world problem that is being addresses by science. You need not be a science specialist to teach the Amphibian Alert! curriculum. The curriculum targets grades 2-5. However, many activities can be easily adapted for other grades and ability levels. Frogs are well loved by children, yet traditionally very little is...