Volunteers Sought For Local Amphibian Survey

DERBY — The public is invited to Kellogg Environmental Center on Saturday, February 24, from 3 to 4:30 pm, to learn about a volunteer, statewide effort to determine the status of Connecticut’s frogs, toads, and salamanders. Live specimens, slides, and frog song recording will be featured during an introductory training session with help from Ansonia Nature Center and Beardsley Zoo.

For more than a decade, scientists have been concerned over the apparent decline of many amphibian populations in North and South America, Australia, and Europe. More recently, reports of malformed and diseased frogs occurring in Connecticut as well as several other parts of the United States have alarmed the public. While there is no evidence linking these two disturbing phenomena, the importance of gathering more information is clear.

The Connecticut Amphibian Monitoring Project (CAMP) is the result of interested staff from several science education organizations in Connecticut who have formed a committee to research the feasibility of establishing a long-term, volunteer-based amphibian monitoring program in the state. The two primary goals of this project are: (1) to collect long-term scientific data on Connecticut amphibian populations, and (2) to raise public awareness of amphibian populations including their conservation and habitat protections.

The CAMP team will monitor 15 blocks of 21/2  kilometers each across the state. The “Great Hill” block includes sections of Ansonia, Derby, and Seymour.

Interested individuals, scouts, or families who would like to contribute to the research project by monitoring a site for at least one year are asked to call Roger Lawson, lead program specialists of Kellogg Environmental Center, at 203/734-2513. The Kellogg Environmental Center, operated by DEP’s Office of Communications and Education, is at 500 Hawthorne Avenue (Route 34), in Derby.