Disney stars Selena Gomez and Kermit the Frog, Amphibian Ark, Conservation International (CI) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) have launched a Public Service Announcement (PSA) calling attention to the plight of the world’s amphibians. 

The PSA began airing on Disney Channel this week and asks people to visit www.yearofthefrog.org to get involved in amphibian conservation.  (Broadcast-quality copies of the PSA are available for download or on hard copy on your left)

This year has been declared the Year of the Frog to mark a major conservation effort to address the amphibian crisis and to engage the public in conservation efforts. Frogs, toads, salamanders and other amphibians are in danger. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) predicts that at least one-third of known amphibian species are in danger of disappearing from the earth for good. 

“We are honored to have the help of Kermit and Selena to spread the message of amphibian conservation,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy.  “Amphibian Ark, Conservation International and zoos and aquariums around the world are working hard to save amphibians.” 

“The disappearance of amphibians around the world is not only a symptom of our impact on the planet, it is also an opportunity to unite in the challenge to do something about it. With nearly two decades of intensive research into the causes of amphibian declines, we are well positioned to implement conservation projects to save even Critically Endangered frogs, salamanders, and caecilians from extinction," said Claude Gascon, Executive Vice President of Conservation International and Co-Chair of the Amphibian Specialist Group. 

"I cannot say it any better than Kermit did so many years ago: 'It seems to me that if you wait until the frogs and toads have croaked their last to take some action, you've missed the point,'” said Amphibian Ark Program Director Kevin Zippel.  “This is the greatest extinction event amphibians have ever experienced and humans have ever witnessed.  Since we are the cause, we must also be the solution.”

Amphibian Ark is a partnership between the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, and IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. It was formed to develop, promote, and guide short term captive management of threatened amphibians, making possible the long-term survival of species for which adequate protection in the wild is not currently possible. For additional information about Amphibian Ark please visit www.amphibianark.org. 

Conservation International (CI) applies innovations in science, economics, policy and community participation to protect the Earth's richest regions of plant and animal diversity in the biodiversity hotspots, high-biodiversity wilderness areas and key marine ecosystems. With headquarters in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, CI works in more than 40 countries on four continents. For more information about CI, visit www.conservation.org. 

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, the AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, please visit www.aza.org.