Ribbit exhibit: Learn all about frogs at Utah Museum of Natural History

A few days before the "Toadally Frogs" exhibit was set to open, some 6 year olds were invited in for a preview. The children were enrolled in the Utah Museum of Natural History's "Animal Detective" class — so they may have been naturally sleuthful. At any rate, they showed impressive investigative powers as they studied one terrarium after another, peering under leaves and among ferns, searching until they spotted even the tiniest of toads.

Alex Baughman watched a toad that looked like a piece of bark lying motionless at the bottom of a pond. His voice boomed with excitement as he described how it suddenly swam "up to here."

In another part of the exhibit, Henna Inoway-Yim laughed as she listened to the recordings of various frogs calling. "This one sounds like a bird chirping," she squealed. "And this one sounds like a barking dog, a small dog." She punched the button labeled "Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad." "And this one sounds like a scream."

"Toadally Frogs" is a traveling exhibit, featuring about 70 live frogs and toads, from 20 different species. "Toadally Frogs" belongs to the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans. The Institute's director of touring exhibits, Ian Hiler, described to the Deseret Morning News how he drove the live parts of the exhibit to Utah, bringing the frogs into his hotel room at night, only to have them start calling to each other as he tried to go to sleep.

Hiler hopes the exhibit will help people appreciate the beauty, the natural history, the diversity and the importance of frogs. The exhibit features frogs from Africa, Surinam, Australia — and local varieties, as well, such as the Colorado River Toad.

(Hiler is one of many scientists who is currently hosting wild frogs in a desperate bid to save them from extinction. Even now, he says, scientists are scouring the mountains of Central and South America, staying about one range ahead of a frog-killing fungus. Hiler has in his possession dozens of species, including a solitary representative of one species, a sweet little orange guy who breaks Hiler's heart by calling and calling without ever hearing a response.)

Tim Lee, UMNH exhibit designer, explained that "Toadally Frogs" will be augmented with displays of frog-related objects from the museum's permanent collection — Native American fetishes, drums and a totem pole.

Rachel Zurer, gallery programs coordinator, explained that with this exhibit visitors will see the first fruits of a 2-year-grant the UMNH has been given to sponsor events. Every Saturday will be a special day at "Toadally Frogs," featuring performances of a 15-minute play, which was written by University of Utah theater professor Margo Andrews.