The Froglog: Helps Frogs Avoid Drowning in Pools

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This summer, my family and I have been visiting public gardens in the New York area and have noticed something in each one we’ve visited—drowned frogs in the gardens’ fountains and pools. We thought we’d repeat a blog post from a couple of years ago about this problem. It has such an easy solution: frogs just need a way out of the pools. I watched some frogs trying to climb out of the stone pools and they weren’t able to get out. They need a ramp, a step, or some other way to escape. Here’s one way that frogs can escape: The Froglog.

A couple of summers ago, we received a wonderful photograph taken by Mary Lascelles for our photo contest of a frog (whom she named Fritz) who hung out on the filter line in her pool sunning himself. Luckily, Fritz never fell in the pool.

fritz-mary-lascelles

Unfortunately many frogs do fall in pools and are poisoned by chlorine, which is absorbed into their bloodstream through their permeable skin. Recently on the Mother Nature Network blog, I read about a new invention, called a Froglog, that is an escape ramp that helps frogs and other small animals escape from pools.

The froglog was created by Rich Mason, a wildlilfe biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who was disturbed that so many frogs and other animals were dying in pools. The froglog is a thick foam tile with angled edges that allow frogs to climb out of the pool. The froglog can also be used in hot tubs, spas, fountains, and backyard ponds.

As Mason writes on his website, due to suburban sprawl, pools are now often built close to the natural habitats of amphibians. He mentions a friend with a pool in Maryland who found over 50 animals trapped in his pool in one night.

Check out this video of frogs and turtles using the froglog escape ramp. And if you have a pool, fountain, etc… and live in an area with lots of wildlife, definitely consider getting a froglog!

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7 thoughts on “The Froglog: Helps Frogs Avoid Drowning in Pools”

  1. Hi. I wanted to view the Froglog in action but when I clicked to see the video I got the message that the video “does not exist.” What gives? When will it be available?

  3. Hi….I have frogs living in my fountain basin. It is Inot ground but only 14 inches deep and about 2.5ft by 3 ft. What do I do with these guys in the winter? I usually store the fountain and pump in the garage ND the pool just freezes…but now there are frogs….any advise? We like them and do not want to harm them.

  6. In principle this is similar to providing a piece of Styrofoam in the pool that the animals can climb onto. I tried that trick and found that the animals did not always find the Styrofoam. Would a person need multiple froglogs around their pool?

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