Volunteers can help with frog, toad survey
<p class="p1">Volunteers are needed to assist with calling frog and toad surveys which are planned in the area. </p><p class="p1">Those who may be interested in volunteering to help with the surveys are asked to attend an orientation session which is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center near Cypress.</p><p class="p1">The wetlands center is located 3 miles south of Cypress at 8885 State Route 37 South. </p><p class="p1">For more information or to preregister, call 618-657-2064, Wednesday through Sunday.</p><p class="p1">New volunteers will receive orientation and training materials that will assist with protocol and identification skills and will be assigned one of six routes to survey. </p><p class="p1">Current volunteers are encouraged to attend the orientation to meet new volunteers and for additional data sheets, survey intervals, and updates. </p><p class="p1">Four times between February and June, during the mating seasons, volunteers gear up with thermometers, clip boards and data sheets to venture out into a Southern Illinois night to conduct surveys along selected routes in Johnson, Pope, Massac, Alexander, Pulaski and Union counties.</p><p class="p1">Over the past 20 years, volunteers have assisted with monitoring the amphibians throughout the Cache River watershed. </p><p class="p1">Each survey is conducted by listening for chorusing spring peepers, leopard frogs and a variety of other species. </p><p class="p1">The work is part of Illinois Natural History Survey monitoring program to learn more about the population trends of Illinois’ anurans. </p><p class="p1">Of the 15 species of frogs and four species of toads found in Southern Illinois, some species, such as the bird-voiced tree frog, Strecker’s chorus frog, crawfish frog and pickerel frog, may have declined or disappeared in other parts of the state.</p><p class="p1">In an effort to learn more about the ecology and status of Illinois’ frogs and toads, volunteers are needed to assist with a statewide monitoring program.</p>