GOVERNOR BEV PERDUE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES SAVE THE FROGS DAY
Move Intended To Raise Awareness of Disappearing Amphibian Populations
For Immediate Release
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Raleigh, NC - 15-December-2011 Governor Bev Perdue of North Carolina issued a proclamation late last week officially declaring April 28, 2012 “Save The Frogs Day” in the state of North Carolina, and calling its observance to all citizens. The Governor’s move was prompted by the request of Rachel Hopkins, an 8th grade student at the Ravenscroft School in Raleigh. Rachel has been working diligently over the past year to spread the word about the rapid disappearance of amphibians in North Carolina and around the world.
Worldwide, nearly one-third of the world's nearly 6,897 amphibian species are threatened with extinction and 200 species have completely disappeared since the late 1970’s. North Carolina is considered one of the world’s amphibian biodiversity hotspots. In particular, the state boasts at least 60 different salamander species, including the threatened Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander and Red-Legged Salamander. Amphibians are faced with an onslaught of environmental problems, including climate change, pollution, infectious diseases, habitat loss, invasive species, and over-harvesting for the pet and food trades. Suburban expansion in North Carolina in the last several decades has destroyed many wetlands and ephemeral ponds that amphibians utilize as breeding habitat.
The Governor’s choice of April 28, 2012 coincides with worldwide events planned for the day, which is indeed the 4th Annual Save The Frogs Day. “We are expecting about 200 educational events to take place in over 30 countries”, says Dr. Kerry Kriger, the Founder of SAVE THE FROGS! (www.savethefrogs.com), the California-based nonprofit that coordinates Save The Frogs Day each year. Dr. Kriger hopes that Save The Frogs Day will dramatically increase frog awareness on a global scale. “Governor Purdue’s proclamation will go a long way towards educating not only North Carolina’s citizens about the importance of protecting remaining amphibian populations, it will also inspire people worldwide to take action”. Indeed, the North Carolina proclamation has already spurred the Mayor of Port Orford, Oregon into considering making a similar declaration, and California’s Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird forwarded Governor Purdue’s proclamation to California Governor Jerry Brown, stating “North Carolina is leading the way”.
Last April, Rachel got her entire school celebrating Save The Frogs Day and raised over $1,200 for amphibian conservation efforts. “It’s great to see kids taking action and helping to ensure our politicians know about the dangers frogs face and the importance of protecting them. It shows everybody can make a difference and make the world a better place, regardless of their age”, says Dr. Kriger.
You can learn more about Save The Frogs Day and ways to get involved at:
www.savethefrogs.com/day
Rachel Hopkins, Frog Saver Extraordinaire
Click the image below to download the PDF of Governor Perdue’s proclamation.
Contact:
Kerry Kriger, Ph.D.
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder, Executive Director and Ecologist
Phone (USA, messages get forwarded): (831) 621-6215
Phone (within Ghana): 026-800-9959
E-mail: kerry@savethefrogs.com
About SAVE THE FROGS!
SAVE THE FROGS! (www.savethefrogs.com) is America's first and only public charity dedicated to amphibian conservation. The mission of SAVE THE FROGS! is to protect amphibian populations and to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife.
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Any photo from savethefrogs.com can be used; credit should be given to savethefrogs.com. High resolution images available upon request.
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