The Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai is doing its bit to raise public awareness of a worldwide die-off of frogs and other amphibians by holding the 2008 Year of the Frog Thematic Exhibition, which runs until the end of next month.
The exhibition showcases 12 species of frogs, nine of them endemic to wetlands.
Tanks modelled on frogs' natural habitats provide a rare opportunity for a close encounter with the amphibians. The exhibition also features information boards about the threats frogs face worldwide, facts and figures, and interactive computer games.
This year has been designated Year of the Frog by conservation groups in an effort to address what they are calling a 'major amphibian extinction crisis'.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has called amphibians 'the canaries of the global coalmine', as their highly porous skin, which absorbs water and oxygen, makes them extremely susceptible to the effects of air and water pollution.
More than a third of all amphibian species - frogs, toads, salamanders and newts - are threatened with extinction, with about 165 already extinct, and about 500 beyond saving, according to Amphibian Ark, a specialist amphibian conservation group. A major cause of extinction is a disease known as the chytrid fungus, but pollution, pesticides, habitat destruction and erratic weather patterns are also thought to be contributing factors.