Oklahoma City frog exhibit opening coincides with Leap Day

The zoo will open a new frog exhibit Wednesday with several additions to its collection. There will be some fun and games, too.

“We want to share conservation stories and we want to conserve species,” curator Stacey Sekscienski said. “The first step in conservation is making people appreciate what you're trying to conserve. That's what we're doing with this exhibit.”

The exhibit at Island Treasures in Island Life will feature seven new frogs not previously exhibited at the zoo, including the strawberry dart frog, Asian climbing toads and the cinnamon tree frog.

Some are as small as an eraser head while others are so well camouflaged the untrained eye wouldn't know they are there.

The zoo will offer several activities to go along with Leap Day including frog origami, toad abode show-and-tell, amphibian transformers and catch-a-bug frog-style. Activities will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the main plaza. There is no extra cost to participate.

Several of the frogs on display are endangered. The brown mantella is native to Madagascar. The Puerto Rican crescent toad also is endangered. One reason is habitat loss. Frog reproduction is often more complicated than with other animals.