Biologists at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game want help in locating and estimating the numbers of frogs, toads, salamanders and other amphibians in the state.
It sounds like an impractical project, but not so, said Fish and Game biologist Craig Groves, who noted the health of amphibians is a good indication of how the environment is doing.Like the old practice of taking a caged canary into a mine to test for safety of the air, counting frogs may tell scientists something about the ecologic health of wetlands.
Experts say populations of amphibians appear to be declining in many parts of the world. That also may be happening in Idaho. The Fish and Game Department has reports of fewer frogs in some places.
In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the loss of amphibians at many places in the western United States, especially in relatively undisturbed areas.
The reason remains a mystery, although acid rain, pesticides, drought, viruses and the introduction of exotic species have been mentioned.
Not much information exists on the distribution of amphibians in Idaho. So the Fish and Game Department is sending questionnaires to biologists, land managers, wildlife professors and others.