Here at the Rainforest Alliance, frogs are especially close to our hearts. The frog is our unofficial mascot and we feature it prominently on our Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. Considering our connection to the frog, it's only natural that we whole-heartedly support Amphibian Ark's (AArk) global campaign to make 2008 the "Year of the Frog."

Conservation cognoscenti estimate that between one third and one half of the world's 6,000 amphibian species (including frogs, toads, salamanders and newts) face extinction. In an effort to generate public awareness and understanding of the amphibian extinction crisis, AArk, a nonprofit committed to the preservation of amphibians, has launched the ambitious movement.

Starting in January, participating zoos around the world have been holding leapfrog events to publicize the campaign and ring in the "Year of the Frog." Throughout the year, these zoos, including the National Zoo (United States), the Lahore Zoo (Pakistan) and the Auckland Zoo (New Zealand), will be organizing activities and amphibian displays, and using their Web sites and communication materials to promote the conservation of our amphibious friends.