From the "jewels of the Amazon” - the tiny poison dart frogs - to the giant Surinam toad to the the highly toxic Terrible Dart Frogs, come discover how “toadally” important, interesting and fun this interactive exploration of all things frog can be!
Developed by the Audubon Nature Institute, Frogs will feature over 80 live frogs and toads representing 20 species from around the world displayed in habitats, enclosures and aquariums simulating their natural environment. A variety of hands on exhibits let you discover fascinating facts about frog anatomy, behavior, and most importantly, the role that frogs, as amphibians, play in measuring the ecological health of our environment.
Frogs features eight different areas, each devoted to different kinds of frogs. There are terrestrial and burrowing frogs, frogs that are aboreal - they live in trees - three nocturnal enclosures housing frogs that only come out at night (don’t worry - we change the lighting on them so they will think that day is night and night is day). There is an area devoted to frogs and toads from Asia and Australia. And of course you’ll see the colorful frogs of South America. There’s even an aquatic habitat featuring the giant Surinam toad.
Within the exhibit, there are interactives that explore frog anatomy, diet, mechanics - how they achieve those spectacular leaps - and an adaptation and camoflauge station. You can also listen to your favorite frogs at the frog call station, create your own frog puppet show, and find out fun frog facts.
Frogs and toads are what scientists call an indicator species. An indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment. That means that if something is wrong with that environment, amphibians are some of the first animals to feel the effects. Like canaries in coal mines, amphibians warn us when something is wrong.
And right now, amphibians are in a world-wide decline. So we study amphibians like frogs and toads to discover what they can tell us about the changing characteristics of their environment that could be causing their decline and could eventually effect us.
Did you know that some frogs could make so much noise that they can be heard for miles? However, because their ears are connected to their lungs the loud noise does not blow out their eardrums. When frogs hear noises, not only does their eardrum vibrate, but also their lungs! Scientists think that this special pressure system is what prevents frogs from hurting themselves during their noisy calls.
To learn more about these amphibians, and the things they are capable of, visit our traveling exhibit Frogs.
Many frogs can leap up to twenty times their body length. That would be like me or you jumping up to or over 100 feet!! The longest frog jump on record was at a frog derby held in South Africa by a frog named Santjie. Santjie defeated the competition with a jump of 33 feet 5.5 inches.
Jump on over to see our frog exhibit. We may not have Santjie, but test yourself by seeing how far you can jump!
If you visit the Frogs exhibit, one of the first frogs you'll run into is the African bullfrog. This frog thrives in moist environments, but oddly enough, it's commonly found in the more arid parts of Africa. How do they survive? Most of the frog’s life is spent underground, lying dormant and living off fat reserves. They only come up during rainy seasons.
Already a bigger frog, when African bullfrogs are disturbed, they inflate their bodies. The male frogs raise the front of their bodies to display their yellow chests and may actually bite.
The female has it pretty tough. She can lay up to 4000 eggs and the fertilized eggs hatch in two days. Ever the good father, the male remains at the breeding site and protects the tadpoles.
Each species in the exhibit has its own unique story to go along with a variety of sizes, colors and places of origin. Next time you come by, try to find some of the differences.
Artist Frank Beifus Showcases Paintings Through Summer
A splash of color has being added to the Frogs exhibit at the Orlando Science Center. A dozen original frog-inspired paintings from local artist Frank Beifus will be displayed amidst 20 species of the real thing in order to showcase the vibrant beauty of these living works of art.
Frank Beifus takes what you can’t see with the naked eye and brings it to vivid life on canvas. He paints magnified versions of thumbnail-sized Poison Dart Frogs in order to accentuate every minute detail of these colorful creatures. Guests will be able to view Frank’s pieces as they tour the Frogs exhibit.
Developed by the Audubon Nature Institute, Frogs features over 80 live frogs and toads representing 20 species from around the world. Later this summer, the artist will switch out the paintings for an entirely new selection of amphibian art that will remain on display inside the exhibit until September 3, 2010.
Scienterrific Saturday for Environmental Awareness
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The 40th Annual Earth Day was officially April 22 and Friday, April 30 was the 2nd Annual Save the Frogs Day. It was the single largest day of amphibian education and action in the planet's history.
Save The Frogs Day events took place in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, India, Italy, Ireland, Madagascar, Nepal, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the USA.
On Saturday, the Orlando Science Center honored both days with a focus on displays and activities within the Frogs exhibits on Level 2. Local environmental groups interacted with guests, raising awareness about what people can do to play a larger role in caring for our planet.
Visitors also enjoyed displays of 80 live frogs and toads representing 20 species from around the world. Why are frogs so important? Frogs and toads are amphibians, and amphibians are what scientists call an indicator species. An indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment. That means that if something is wrong with that environment, amphibians are some of the first animals to feel the effects.
Frogs was developed by the Audubon Nature Institute and features eight different areas, each devoted to different kinds of frogs. Displays include habitats devoted to frogs and toads from Asia, Australia and the colorful frogs of South America. The exhibit will be on display through September 6, 2010.
Orlando Science Center • 777 East Princeton Street • Orlando, Florida 32803 • Phone: 407.514.2000 • Toll Free: 888.OSC.4FUN • Email: Info@osc.org Funded in part by United Arts of Central Florida and State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Privacy Policy
