Filmmaker Allison Argo at the American Embassy in London

I’ve just returned from London where there was a special screening of Frogs: The Thin Green Line at the American Embassy.  It was great to see the enthusiasm of the audience — and their concern.  The amphibian crisis is an international one, and folks throughout the world are worried.  Even Prince Charles is taking action. Frogs and princes have had a long association, but Prince Charles is taking it to new heights. Check out his first YouTube movie (you can also see it on his website: www.rainforestSOS.org).

You can catch another special screening of the film if you live in the San Francisco area. It will be shown at the Museum of Natural History on June 18. I’ll be there to talk to the audience and answer questions — and Tyrone Hayes will be there, too. I’m hoping he’ll do his “Frog Rap” after the film. It’s really sensational!

Later this summer there’s also going to be a screening of the film in Houston. No date yet, but stay tuned for more info…

In the meantime, don’t forget our amphibian friends: lay off the pesticides and fertilizers in your gardens and yards — and keep your energy consumption down by reducing your driving and turning off lights and appliances when you don’t need them! I’m also trying to buy organic whenever possible — and I’ve decided to create a frog pond in my back yard this summer. I got inspired after reading about how even a small homemade wetland can help amphibians.

- Allison Argo

This program premiered February 2008.

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Allison Argo on a shoot in Yosemite National Park

Filmmaker Allison Argo shares her stories from the making of Frogs: The Thin Green Line.

I had to get on with the edit, so Andy (cinematographer extraordinaire) and his wife Susan (sound recordist extraordinaire) went on this shoot solo.

Australia’s frogs have been hit by the same host of problems as ours.  But to top it off,
Australia has been experiencing one of the worst droughts in history – and frogs have been feeling the effects of climate change.  Andy and Susan spent a frantic week following Gerry & Erika Marentelli (from the Amphibian Conservation Centre) as they underwent heroic efforts to save some of Australia’s most endangered frogs.  They shot on top of mountains, in deep river gorges and in the thick of cattle country.  No matter where they went, frogs were in trouble.

Meanwhile, I was well into the edit here.  Trying to make sense of all the stories and footage is always intimidating, but as the weeks pass, the stories and characters begin to find their place in the film.  Each person – and each frog – provides a critical piece in the puzzle, until… one day, it’s a film!

Every film carries the filmmaker on a unique journey – often in an unexpected direction.  I hadn’t realized that this film would hit so close to home – or that I would feel such a sense of personal responsibility.

Having witnessed the frogs in Panama, I have a greater respect for amphibians than ever.  That small patch of forest holds so much magic and so many millions of years of evolution – I now shudder to think of how fragile it is.  All of that biological brilliance can be wiped out in a matter of months.

I had also never realized how important amphibians are.  We’ve just begun to mine them for medical cures.  They offer hope for everything from HIV to diabetes.  But even more important is the role they play in our ecosystems: they sit in the middle of the food chain.  In places where they’re gone, insect populations are on the rise and predators like snakes and birds are disappearing.

I realized in making this film that the frog problem is everyone’s problem.  We can all make choices everyday that will help give frogs a leg up.  We can stop using pesticides and fertilizers, we can do our part to lessen global warming, we can buy locally and buy organic whenever possible… we can protect wetlands.  Frogs aren’t the only creatures that depend on healthy waters – we do, too.

Our behavior has been remarkably short-sighted – even in our own backyards.  Not only are we endangering our amphibians, we are endangering ourselves.  I can no longer turn a blind eye.  There are easy adjustments we can all make.  I’m ready to step up to the plate…

Special thanks to my production assistants in the office who were so wonderful: Laura Gill, Diane Toomey, and Ruby Wells

- Allison Argo

This episode premiered April 5, 2009.

Allison Argo

Send in your questions for Allison Argo, the director of Frogs: The Thin Green Line. On the night of the premiere — Sunday, April 5 — Allison will answer your questions here.

Submit your question for Allison in the comments box below.

Allison Argo is dedicated to producing television programming that she hopes will make a difference.  She describes her work as an exploration of the landscape where human and animal collide.  A champion of endangered life, her films provide a voice for those who have none, be it endangered frogs, chimpanzees in captivity or people who have been compromised by a changing world.

As producer, director, and writer for nearly 20 years, Allison’s adventures have carried her across the globe. Her films have won numerous international awards, including six National Emmys, the prestigious duPont Columbia Award for Journalism, and multiple Genesis, New York Festival, CINE Golden Eagle, Christopher Columbus, Jackson Hole, Missoula, and Japan International Wildlife awards.

Before Frogs: The Thin Green Line, Allison directed several other films for NATURE: Extraordinary Dogs, Wisdom of the Wild, The Urban Elephant, Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History, and Crash: A Tale of Two Species.

You can also read her recent blog post about the U.S. State of the Birds report, which warned that one-third of U.S. bird species are in trouble.

Here are answers to some of your questions:

Brian Watts asks: Ms. Argo:  Is it difficult to find financial support for projects on “unglamorous” species’ documentation and protection?

Allison Argo says: Hi Brian – That’s a good question!  I am happy to say that NATURE asked me to make this film and provided the funding (bravo NATURE!).  I have always been a champion of the planet’s less glamorous species – and it used to be far more difficult to get funding to tell their stories.  Fortunately times seem to be changing.  I think we’re all beginning to understand that even the smallest, most unassuming creatures play an important role.

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Carolyn asks: has anyone thought about contamination by researchers going from one area to another and carrying the kittrick(sp)(virus)on their clothing, boots, hands, etc.? if there is no way to stop it then maybe it also cannot be destroyed by usual means of disinfection. just a simple thought…

Allison says: Hi Carolyn – Absolutely!  You ask a really important question.  Scientists carefully disinfect their boots and all of their gear when moving from site to site these days.  While we were filming, we washed our boots thoroughly and any gear that touched the earth in a mild Clorox solution when leaving an infected site – we even washed our vehicle.  Unfortunately, this wasn’t done back when chytrid hadn’t yet been identified.  It certainly is possible that researchers (and tourists) tracked chytrid into areas not yet infected.  It’s also possible that chytrid is carried on the feet of ducks & birds.  Scientists like Karen Lips are trying to find out just how the fungus travels, but as far as I know, there are only theories at this point.

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Jim Whalen asks: I recently saw a show on animal planet bout this problem that is affecting frog populations worldwide. The same scientist mentioned in natures program claims some progress against chytrid is being attained. People around the world have to wake up and stop are irresponsible treatment of the earth. Amphibians might be ” the canary in the coal mine”

Allison says: Yes!  We all need to take responsibility.  Most scientists agree that the problems amphibians are facing are also impacting other species (including humans).  It’s a very serious situation.

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Christopher asks: First, thank you for a superb presentation of chytrid.  What can I as an individual do to make the frog species thrive?

Allison says: Thanks, Christopher!  It might sound small, but we can all make a difference by changing our energy consumption and use of chemicals at home – we can buy organic whenever possible and buy locally.  Also, we should all support local efforts to restore & protect wetlands (keep your eye out for local projects).  For other ideas, check out the “Additional Web Resources” page.  There are excellent groups that can use your support and offer more ideas (www.amphibianark.com is a good one).  Thanks for wanting to make a difference!

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Dan Nordmann asks: The conservation that is promoted in this program confuses me. It is important to be aware of how we effect our animal counterparts. When is it important to step aside and let mother nature takes it course? What if the frogs have been selected by mother nature to have a decline in their populations? How do we know that there was not a decline 500 hundred years back or even 5,000 years ago. A blink of time really, for having been around for 250,000 million years.

This show unfortunatley does not effectively explain why a decline in population is a negative occurence. What if the fungus is strengthening the amphibians by causing them to adapt? Well; if that’s what’s going on and we stop this process then we might be causing a much bigger problem! Perhaps this is the paradox of the conservation movement. All in all the show is thought provoking and the filming is very nice. Thanks for the film!

Allison says: Hi Dan.  I guess we’re going to have to see how this thing plays out.  I am not a scientist myself, but all the scientists I spoke to seem very concerned about the consequences of losing the earth’s amphibians.  They are finding that insect species are on the rise and other species that prey on amphibians are disappearing.  I, personally, am very concerned about our water quality.  I can’t imagine that pouring chemicals into our water supply is ultimately going to do us any good either… You’re right, it is thought provoking!

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Cindy asks: How can a person get involved on a local scale? I live in PA – are there groups in my area?

Allison says: Cindy – I’m not linked into local groups, but it might be possible to find a local network through one of the international frog non-profits (www.amphibianark.com is a good one). They might be able to help hook you up with local efforts in PA.  Also, read my response to Christopher’s note (above).  We can all make a significant difference by making some changes at home.

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Tucker Farley aks: who was the wonderful and caring black man caring for frogs and going out to search for them? Panama I think it was. Everyone else was introduced.

Allison says: Hey Tucker — That is Edgardo Griffith (working at EVACC in Panama with his wife Heidi Ross).  They’re both wonderful people and totally dedicated to helping frogs.

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Patti asks: I live in Louisiana. What can I do to help the frogs of the world? What can I do to encourage their thriving in my local area?

Allison says: Hi Patti – Read my response to Cindy (above).  I applaud you for wanting to make a difference!

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Alice Moon asks: I want to know how the researcher in California can be sure his frogs didn’t swap sexual identities due to being in a population consisting solely of males.

Allison says: Hi Alice – So sorry, but I’m not able to address your question.  It is really a question for Tyrone Hayes.  I do know that he is a very highly-respected scientist, and I trust that he’s looking at all angles in order to fully understand his findings. Sorry I can’t offer any insights here!

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Marjorie Chelberg asks: I recently asked the pharmacist at WalMart what should I do with unused prescriptions, she said to just flush them down the toilet. What can I do to make people in my neighborhood with septic systems more aware as their water and street run off ends up in a creek behind our home which is inhabited by lots of frogs. Should they be disposed of like the drs. do with used needles? Or what else can be done? Great film, I really enjoyed it.

Allison says: Wow, that’s unfortunate “guidance” the pharmacist gave you!  Dr. Dave Skelly (from Yale University) advises:  “Unused pharmaceuticals can be returned to the pharmacy.  Many hospitals will also take them.  They are sent to special incinerators that make them inert.”  This information really should be made more accessible to the general public and pharmacists should be better informed.

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Judy asks: I also want to know what we can do locally. I would think that the first step is to teach the school children. Outside of that, what would I do?

Allison says: Judy – Yes!  That’s a really critical point.  Here’s a link for teachers & parents: teach the kids – http://www.helpafrog.org/toolkit.htm.  Kids love frogs and don’t want to see them disappear.  You can also read what I’ve written above in response to Christopher.  We can all make a big difference right in our own backyards.  And do click on some of those links to see what the non-profit groups suggest.  They know where help is needed most.  Again, thanks!

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Ann Gutierrez asks: I am the owner of land in Costa Rica where the only known colony of Atalopus varius (harlequin frog previously thought to be extinct) was re-discovered several years ago. In response to Carolyn’s comments regarding contamination, I believe her concern is valid and one probable cause of the widespread contamination. It is my understanding that Reid Harris at James Madison University in Va. is working on a bath dip to immunize these frogs that retards the development of the Chytrid fungus. My biggest problem to safeguard this fragile colony stems from frog poachers hoping to add to their exotic collection. We need world wide legislation that makes this activity a serious crime.

Allison says: Hi Ann – Thanks so much for your note.  Yes, Carolyn brought up a very important point (see my response above).  And I’m so glad you mentioned Reid Harris – he is doing some very exciting research.  I have high hopes that his work will help us turn a corner with chytrid.  You also make a really important point about “collecting”.  It takes a serious toll on fragile populations and is a horribly selfish (and illegal) act.  This is just one more pressure that we are putting on amphibians.  I wish I’d had time to include this point in the film. Alas, 51 minutes is just too short when trying to convey so many complex issues.  Thanks for bringing it up!!

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Ross Geredien asks: Thank you, thank you for your compelling work. I am a former student of David Skelly’s and was thrilled to see his work on amphibian diseases incorporated into this comprehensive discussion on global amphibian declines.

Not only are declines in rainfall caused by climate changes causing drastic ecological changes to frog habitat, but climate change is most likely also driving the spread of chytrid fungus in places like the neotropics. Alan Pounds’ work in Costa Rica has documented how increased cloud cover and humidity is creating the perfect conditions for the fungus in cloud forest systems.

Perhaps one of the biggest things we can do is to buy local and organic and reduce the amount of pesticides and atrazine spread on the earth’s surface and reduce the amount of energy it takes to transport food by purchasing food grown closer to home.

Allison says: Ross – Amen!  I have vowed to start buying organic foods whenever possible and to buy them locally.  Making this film really drove home for me how we can all make a significant difference. I’m hoping that in my local community we can get our town to ban the use of fertilizers and pesticides.  It might take a while, but I think it’s worth the battle.  There are viable alternatives!  The first step is being informed – the second step is making positive choices.  (PS: You’re a lucky guy to have studied under David Skelly.  He must be a great teacher!)

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Bill Magno asks: Nature tonight on saving the frogs around the world was wonderful and bought tears to my eyes. THANK GOD there are people on the planet in Parks and Wildlife dept’s helping to save the frogs. These are the true saints of society. We should give them every support

Allison says: Thanks so much for your note, Bill.  I couldn’t agree with you more.  There are some heroic folks out there working to turn this crisis around.

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Catareina Heinrick asks: I am 19 and trying to raise money to help fund the research and conservation efforts of frogs, and have two questions: Who do I send the money to? And how do I contact them? I have tried searching on the UC Berkley and Yale home pages and found not luck what so ever in even finding such programs as what you filmed in, Frogs: The Thin Green Line. Any help would be greatly appreciated. As of yet I have not raised any money, I just saw the show three hours ago!

Allison says: Hi Catareina.  I applaud your efforts to help raise funds on behalf of amphibians!  I think it might be best to contact one of the amphibian groups that are non-profits (www.amphibianark.com) .  If you go to the “Additional Web Resources” page on NATURE’s Frogs website, you’ll find a list of groups that are devoted to helping frogs. They know where funding is needed most and can advise you.  Thanks so much for caring!!

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Parker Fritz asks: where can i send schwabs to be tested?

Allison says: Parker — There is a very specific protocol for swabbing amphibians, so that the test is accurate.  It would be best to contact one of the excellent groups like www.amphibianark.org to ask about the specifics.  From what I gather, there are not many labs that process the swabs.  Hope this helps point you in the right direction…

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141lanka asks: I have researched on Sri Lankan amphibians/reptiles under Dr.Carl Gans. Can you update me the status of Chytrid in Sri Lankan amphibian populations ?. I would love to get a copy of your show to educate Sri Lankan students/young researchers. Let me know if you would love to visit Sri Lanka I can give you field assistance and info !

Allison says: I had the good fortune of traveling to Sri Lanka some years ago when I made a film on elephants (The Urban Elephant).  It is a magnificent place – and I worked with some top-notch people there.  Unfortunately I don’t know the status of chytrid in Sri Lanka, but here is a website that might have some info for you: http://www.parcplace.org Thanks and good luck with your work!

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Randy Heuser asks: Question: If Chytrid infects frogs and snakes, does it also infect turtles?

Allison says: Randy – As far as I know, the amphibian chytrid fungus affects only amphibians.  However, any species that preys on frogs (or is preyed on by frogs) is indirectly affected.  So yes, it’s possible that turtles are being impacted.

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Christine asks: I thought the program was well done but was dismayed that the issue of biosecurity was not discussed with regard to field work. I kept wondering how many frogs died because well intentioned scientists and film crews spread the fungus on their boots to uninfected areas. Was there any effort for field scientists and film crews to disinfect boots, clothing, vehicles and other gear?

Allison says: Hi Christine – You bring up a really important point.  Scientists (and film crews) carefully disinfect their boots and all of their gear when moving from site to site these days.  We washed our boots thoroughly and any gear that touched the earth in a mild Clorox solution when leaving an infected site – we even washed our vehicle thoroughly.  Sadly this wasn’t done back when chytrid hadn’t yet been identified.  It’s altogether possible that researchers – and tourists visiting the National Parks – tracked chytrid into areas that were chytrid-free.  It’s also possible that chytrid is carried on the feet of ducks & birds.  Scientists like Karen Lips are trying to find out just how the fungus travels, but as far as I know, there are only theories at this point.

Our next location was closer to home: Yosemite National Park.  We flew into Reno on July 11th – just in time to catch the peak of the summer’s forest fires.  When we stepped outside the airport, it smelled like a campfire – it made my lungs hurt.  To make matters worse, the magnificent scenery of Yosemite was hidden behind a white curtain of smoke.

The next day, the winds shifted and the extraordinary vistas of Yosemite began to emerge from the haze.  Of course it wasn’t the vistas that had drawn us to Yosemite.  It was a small, unassuming frog – one of the most endangered amphibians in North America.  As we prepared for the shoot, I thought about the frog.  The good news: the mountain yellow-legged frog is diurnal.  This means they’re active during the day and we won’t have to film them at night.  The bad news: they live 12,000 feet above sea level and seven hours by foot from the closest road.

Dr. Roland Knapp, holding a toad

Dr. Roland Knapp had agreed to let us follow him into the field and document his work. We’d be staying up there for three days and had to pack in absolutely everything we’d need – from sleeping bags, tents & food to tripod, camera & batteries (fortunately we were able to hire members of Yosemite Search & Rescue to help us with the trek). Josh Cassidy, a student filmmaker, also joined us to help with the gear and logistics.  We hit the trail at 6am on July 13th, fretting with every step that we’d forgotten to pack a critical piece of equipment.  There would be no running back to the van to get it…

Notes from the field 7/14/08
Oh man, what a hike!  The altitude makes it really tough – but wow, is it beautiful up here!  We set up our tents in the afternoon rain & took inventory of the gear.  I can’t believe we forgot the batteries for the backup camera!!

We started at sunrise the next morning…  It wasn’t long before we stumbled on our first dead frog.  Roland says it’s chytrid.  Seeing it so still under the water, perfectly intact, was chilling.  Here we are in one of the most pristine environments in the world – and the frogs are dying.  This disease is frightening.

We shot the entire day (Roland and his team processing frogs) until huge, black clouds started gathering at around 3.  They seemed to come from nowhere – fast and furious.  As we scrambled to get the gear under tarps and Roland’s team tried to secure their data, the skies let loose… it was a hail storm to beat the band!  We ran for cover in our tents, and the hail pounded down for two hours.  I caught a glimpse of a huge lightning bolt cracking into the mountainside next to us just as I ducked into my tent.  Inside, with hail stones and wind tearing against the fly, I really wondered how this little adventure was going to play out.  I also mused on the mountain yellow-legged frogs and just how much they’ve withstood, day in and day out, for millions of years.  What extraordinary survivors… until now.

Once the storm seemed to die down, I unzipped my tent and peered out… there were two inches of ice over the entire landscape.  In two hours we’d gone from summer to winter.  Andy pointed out that none of shots are going to match – hah!  Oh well, we’ve lost the light, so we’ll just have to see what tomorrow brings…

We managed to get through the next day of shooting without any further mishaps and made it down the mountain.  My head was still filled with images of dead frogs…

Our subsequent locations were no less riveting…  At UC Berkeley, Tyrone Hayes and his students are studying the effects of chemical run-off on frogs.  They’re finding that even low level exposure to herbicides and pesticides is leading to reproductive abnormalities.  We thought he was kidding when he invited us to film a male frog laying fertile eggs… He wasn’t.  It was one of the creepiest things I’ve ever seen.

Our next shoot was equally creepy – and perhaps even more shocking.  In suburban Connecticut, David Skelly from Yale University has been studying the local frogs.  He, too, is finding big problems.  21% of the frogs in the suburban ponds he’s studied have reproductive abnormalities: the males are growing eggs in their testes. Wow… This is happening in our own backyards.  This is the water that our children are playing in, that some of us swim in – that some of us even drink!  My eyes were opened to the frightening impact of our seemingly innocent actions: using fertilizers or weed killers on our lawns & gardens, flushing medicines down our toilets, digging septic systems too close to wetlands – or not repairing old septic systems that are leaching… We are all players in the extinction crisis.

Check back tomorrow to hear about filming in Australia and the challenges of finishing the film.

- Allison Argo

We set off for Panama on the 4th of June for our first shoot. It promised to be a challenging one: most frogs are nocturnal and they’re most active when it’s raining… The crew consisted of myself (producer/director/chief bottle washer), Andy Young (cinematographer extraordinaire), Josh Otte (sound recordist), and Ryan Killackey (a biologist/filmmaker who was invaluable in helping us find the various species). We were armed with umbrellas, tarps, backpacks, rubber boots, and battery-powered lights. We had to hustle to get down there while it was still the rainy season (the season when frogs breed). When we arrived, the rains were still strong and the frogs were out in full voice, calling through the nights. Here’s an entry from my journal:

Notes from the field 6/19/08
I’d forgotten why filming frogs is so grueling… They like the rain, the dark of night, and they’re masters of camouflage. Tiptoeing into their world is a colossal challenge. You can’t shoot without light – but frogs don’t like the light. And lights (and film equipment) don’t like the rain. It’s a bit of a Catch-22. We’ve spent the past two weeks, slipping and sliding along steep, muddy jungle trails in hopes of capturing at least a bit of the magic of the frogs’ rainforest realm. Our bodies are covered with insect bites and strange fungi that have sprouted in an environment that never dries out.

Still, how extraordinary it is when you finally do manage to steal into the frogs’ world! We’ve witnessed first hand how difficult it is for amphibians to survive. A few nights ago we filmed a frog couple breeding. It was an enormous labor that lasted from dusk until dawn. The zealous couple was almost attacked by a lizard and more than one snake came dangerously close, but they managed to elude the nocturnal predators. Two days later we trekked back through the forest to shoot more footage of the eggs they’d laid – only to find that they’ve been destroyed by maggots. It’s shocking to see what a miniscule number of tadpoles ever make it to adulthood.

Yesterday we were filming along a creek when we got caught in a major storm. The skies suddenly opened and the rain was torrential. The creek rose in a flash, and we lost some of our gear. I’m relieved we weren’t swept away – and that the most important equipment escaped unscathed. Unfortunately our back-up camera got submerged so we won’t have any more behind-the-scenes footage. It’s disappointing, but we’re lucky the damage wasn’t worse.

It’s proven tricky to capture frogs calling on camera. You can’t see them without some sort of light – but the moment you shine one their way, they clam up. We’ve gradually gotten the hang of it: turn your light on to focus the camera, then sit in the dark and wait for them to start calling again. If you time it right, you can roll the camera, snap on the light and get one good chirp before they go silent again. There have been a lot of long nights, but somehow the magic of the forest and the frogs infuse you with energy to work through the fatigue…

Biologist Karen Lips is conducting surveys in the same forest, and the second day we were here she led us to a very special egg clutch. It was being guarded by the father(!) – a glass frog. We were absolutely spell-bound. Apparently, this father watches his young night and day for weeks until the tadpoles hatch from their eggs and drop to the stream below. For well over a week we’ve visited “daddy” (as we call him) to check on the progress of his eggs. And then, yesterday, wasps started circling his egg mass. He sprang to action and warded them off with head jabs and kicks. It was phenomenal. The wasps moved on to an easier target – an egg clutch on a neighboring leaf. This species doesn’t guard its young, and so the tadpoles had no protection… But when the wasps began to attack, the tadpoles were able to hatch prematurely and drop to the stream below. It was extraordinary to watch them swim away… I couldn’t have invented such behavior in my wildest dreams, much less imagine we’d be lucky enough to shoot it!

I’m just so happy the gear has held up. It’s always hard to shoot in the jungle, but the nocturnal, water-loving nature of frogs adds one more layer. We’ve been plagued by fogged-up lenses and mold mushrooming in the equipment cases, but we’re managing to keep the gear running… and with perseverance (and very little sleep), we’re capturing some compelling tales from the realm of the frog. I’m itching to get into the edit room, so that I can piece together these rainforest battles that few people ever get to witness. …Despite the challenges, I have to admit, I’m more smitten with frogs than ever.

The remainder of our shoot in Panama was more sobering. We shot in a beautiful cloud forest reserve where the amphibian fungus, chytrid, has wiped out all the frogs. It was wrenching to walk through that silent forest -– to think of all the frogs like “daddy” who have fallen victim to the killer fungus. Many of them were found nowhere else on earth. Now, we’ve lost them forever…

Our last Panamanian locale was EVACC -– the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center. It’s here that frogs from the neighboring forest were evacuated three years ago when chytrid was moving in. Today these beautiful animals live in little glass tanks. The dream is that someday these frogs will be returned to their forest once we’ve learned how to control chytrid in the environment – but their forest is rapidly being cleared for development. Construction of villas for foreigners are felling the trees and clogging the streams with run-off. Another heart-breaking reality –- even in the rainforest…

Check back tomorrow for the story behind our next shoot, a little closer to home: Yosemite National Park.

- Allison Argo

Poison dart frog

Almost a year ago NATURE asked me to make a film about the disappearance of amphibians.  I’d made a film on that very subject 15 years ago, so I was a bit reluctant… for about a nanosecond.  Then I realized I couldn’t say no.

The fact is, since making my prior film dozens of frog species have disappeared -– and the decline of amphibians has escalated into one of the greatest environmental crises of our time.  Scientists are calling it the greatest mass extinction since the dinosaurs.  It’s HUGE!!!

The other reason I said yes is: I love frogs.

So, on a blustery day in April I began to piece together my stories… Since the crisis is global, that meant finding characters and frogs in spots as far away as Australia and South America, as well as right here in our own backyards.

The research was sobering.  Amphibians have survived for 360 million years and suddenly they’re vanishing…  I quickly learned that there isn’t any one culprit; frogs are getting hit from just about every direction: climate change, habitat loss, chemical run-off, introduced predators, over-collection, and deadly diseases… Basically, humans have stirred up a perfect storm for amphibians.

Over the next three days I’ll be posting more about my experiences with Frogs… Tomorrow: Panama (where we were faced the challenges of filming frogs in the middle of a wet jungle at night).  Hope you’ll come back…

- Allison Argo