(Undated) -- The state of Iowa's looking for people to listen to frogs and toads this summer. Volunteers sort out the sounds by species and jot down their findings.
"With more than 1,000 wildlife species in the state, we just don’t have enough staff in the DNR to adequately monitor all the vulnerable species that we need to,” said Stephanie Shepherd, wildlife biologist and coordinator for the VWMP. “This is where community scientists play a crucial role.”
The DNR and the Montgomery County Conservation Board are partnering to host a workshop at the Wolfe Nature Center at the Anderson Conservation Area, on April 3, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, and with the Mitchell County Conservation Board to host a workshop at the Mitchell R. Owen Nature Center, on April 10, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. There is a fee of $10 to participate.
Shepherd says there are 17-confirmed species of frogs and toads in Iowa. The most common frog is the chorus frog. She says the common American bullfrog is also common. Shepherd says it is not native to Iowa, but has spread rapidly and is known to have a big appetite, feasting on other species.