If you want to help frogs, there are many ways to do something. For a start, some changes to your daily lifestyle can make a difference.
1
If you regularly see frogs around your home, be careful when you close windows and doors. Check to see there are no frogs in the way before you shut that door or window. Also check clothes hoists and garage roller doors.
2
Herbicides and insecticides can be deadly to frogs and tadpoles (and many other species as well including people). Don't use them. Instead, let the spiders, geckos and the frogs themselves kill those pesty bugs. (See our Soil Health section for recommendations for getting rid of weeds without herbicides!)
3
Teach your family members about weeds and how to identify them by letting them help you pull out those weeds by hand instead of using chemicals. Children can learn a great deal about nature and our roles as caring partners when they interact in a supportive way with plants and wildlife in the yard.
4
Many people keep dogs for security as well as companionship but dogs are surprisingly good at finding and injuring frogs. Control your dog and teach it not to attack or disturb wildlife. The other side issue of dog ownership on rental properties is that it leads to automatic and unwaranted use of nasty chemcials by real estate agents.
5
Many cat owners insist that their cool and aloof feline doesn't attack any wildlife but their neighbors often witness the truth. Keep your cat indoors at night where it can keep YOU company instead of the 'locals'. Even more importantly, WORM your cat regularly. See our Cats page for an explanation of how cats are killing frogs - even when they have no direct contact at all!
6
Be on the lookout for any frogs you may see in your yard or elsewhere which might be injured or sick. A frog with lumps, ulcers or holes in the skin, blotchy colours (when the skin is normally a solid colour), difficulty moving, sitting in the sun during the day, emaciated or bleeding needs to be examined right away. Keep a clean ice cream container (with a secure lid with airholes punched through it) and a small jar of distilled or rainwater in your car (don't use tap water) so that you can collect any sick or injured frogs you might find while driving. Contact us at Frog Safe right away if you do see a frog which might have a problem.
7
Water and shelter are crucial for frogs and Cairns is losing large amounts of both due to intensive subdivisions. Vegetate your yard as much as possible and have a couple bird baths in shady spots so frogs have water during the dry season. For more info about this, read our 'Bigger Picture' page.
8
Keep a compost pile in a corner of the yard to attract bugs - insects are in short supply during the dry season which causes 'environmental stress' which in turn causes the frog to lose its resistance to diseases.
Whatever you do on your own property helps, but if you live in a unit and have no influence over a block of land, then support us instead ! We have heaps to do but can't accomplish anything without support. Other helpful tasks can be done at school, and especially writing letters and advocating for frogs. See the other pages in this section for more ideas.
