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| VINS AMPHIBIAN EXHIBIT DEBUTS   She also said frogs are more vulnerable to pollution than other animals in their environment, since frogs exchange oxygen through their skin. That makes frogs a kind of warning sign that pollution is creeping into a particular area. LaVallee said this phenomenon occurred in the 1970s in Vermont, when people started to report sightings of frogs with more than two back legs and other deformities. Such reports helped raise awareness of the effects of herbicides and pesticides on the environment. LaValle remembered that when she was growing up in upstate New York, the frogs that used to be in her backyard disappeared after her father began treating the lawn with fertilizer and pesticides. In the new VINS exhibit, video segments and information from experts help to spell out the dangers posed from chemical products and ways to care for the environment. Besides problems with chemicals, loss of habitat and the impact of exotic species on the ecosystem also harms the frog community.  Walking into the main exhibit room, a large tank displays native frog species. Small fish dart around in the water, while a proud-looking bullfrog presides over the scene from a rock. LaVallee said the tank shows people how much activity is going on below the surface, where the human eye can't see. “It's basically a slice of a swamp,” she said. Visitors can also watch several species of poisonous dart frogs, which a brightly colored to warn predators of their venom. LaVallee said the dart frog's body uses the content of the food the frog eats to produce the poison, which is secreted through the skin. Dart frogs are found in the jungles of Central and South America. “Ribbit!” also includes the tomato frog of Madagascar, whose brilliant pink color also serves as a warning to predators. An array of activities also awaits visitors to this new exhibit. Three frog experts with different backgrounds help inform visitors during one video-based presentation. An animated film, 'A Frog's Life,' shows the stages of the frog's growth from egg to tadpole to adult frog. A computer game teaches people about things they can do to help the environment, such as buying organic foods. There are also several “sit and listen” stools, where different 'ribbits' sound off each time someone sits down.  LaVallee said the exhibit helps the information students read in their textbooks come to life. “They can learn some of that content in a hands-on kind of way,” she said. LaVallee hoped that the environmental education portions of the exhibit would encourage children and other visitors to make decisions that help our natural surroundings. |   | ||||||||||||||
© VINS, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, wholly supported by membership dues, admission and program fees, donations, and grants. | ||||||||||||||||
