Frog

Hello from my lily pad. I'm a frog, and I live in a busy pond full of friends. But my life didn't start with a hop. It began when I was just a tiny egg in a big, wobbly clump of jelly. Soon, I hatched and became a tadpole. I looked more like a little fish than a frog. I had a long tail to help me swim all around, and I could breathe underwater just like my fishy neighbors. My frog family is very old. Our earliest relatives were hopping around when the dinosaurs lived. In 1995, scientists described a fossil that helped them learn even more about our ancient family tree.

Growing up was a magical time for me. It's a special change called metamorphosis. First, my long tadpole tail started to shrink away. Then, something amazing happened. I grew four strong legs. Two in the back for big hops, and two in the front to help me balance. I also grew lungs so I could breathe air on land. But I have a secret. I can also breathe right through my moist skin. This is why I always have to stay a little damp. My body changed in other ways, too. My big eyes can see in almost every direction at once, which helps me spot tasty insects for dinner. When I see a fly or a beetle, I use my super-fast, sticky tongue to snatch it right out of the air. Zap.

Life as a grown-up frog is so much fun. I love hopping around on the soft, green land and then splashing into the cool, clear water of my pond. You might have heard me singing before. That 'Ribbit. Ribbit.' sound I make is my special song. I use it to talk to all the other frogs in the pond, telling them I'm here. It's very important for me to stay close to the water. If my skin gets too dry, I can't breathe through it, so I take lots of little dips throughout the day to stay healthy and happy. My pond is my home, my playground, and my pantry all in one.

I have a very important job in my ecosystem. I am a great helper to people because I eat lots of insects, like mosquitoes, that can be a bother. My friends and I are also like little messengers for the environment. If you see a lot of happy frogs in a pond, it's a good sign that the water is clean and healthy. We are part of what keeps the world in balance. Many kind people are working to protect our homes, and groups like the Amphibian Ark started in 2007 to help keep us safe. As long as our ponds are clean, we'll keep singing our songs and helping our world.