Tyler

Fourteen new species of frogs and toads are being added to the Caldwell Zoo family today.

Located within the zoo's North America Reptile Building, a new wall of jewel cases will highlight some very unique frog species from around the world — a frog that looks like a leaf, poison dart frogs, and red-eyed tree frogs -- in the new "Toadily Frogs" exhibit.

As a response to the growing numbers of amphibian population declines, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and other participants in the global zoological community will highlight this year as the Year of the Frog to mark a major conservation effort addressing the amphibian extinction crisis.

Amphibians are vertebrate animals including salamanders, frogs and toads, and caecilians (amphibians that look like worms). All are cold-blooded and have specialized skin—usually smooth, moist skin—that allows them to actually breathe through their skin. Some amphibians have very small lungs or no lungs at all as is the case with a small group of lungless salamanders. Usually amphibians go through a metamorphosis (change) as they grow up. An example of amphibian metamorphosis is the frog life cycle—egg, tadpole then adult frog.

Visitors to Caldwell Zoo’s Toadily Frogs exhibit will have the opportunity to learn how each person can be a friend of frogs by creating amphibian-friendly environments with clean water and hiding places, reducing pollutants, (amphibians absorb chemicals through their skin), conserving water and being responsible pet owners.

The Caldwell Zoo is located at 2203 Martin Luther King Blvd., Tyler.

-- submitted by Linda Kunze

A red-eyed tree frog is among the new species at the Caldwell Zoo.
(Submitted photo)