Frog Pandemic

January 13, 2022 • by Marc Airhart

Frogs are also struggling through their own pandemic that has several eerie parallels with COVID-19.

A green frog rests on a tree branch

This green tree frog is a spotted leaf frog (Phasmahyla guttata) from Brazil.


Until COVID-19, few people alive today had experienced the chaos and destruction of a really bad pandemic, one that has at times ground businesses, schools and social lives to a near standstill and killed millions globally. But did you know that we aren't alone in being battered by a global infectious disease? Frogs are also struggling through their own pandemic that, according to biologist Kelly Zamudio, has several eerie parallels with COVID-19. Perhaps our own encounters with a pandemic will give us new sympathy for our slimy, bug-eyed friends.

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