Fabulous Frogs

In filmmaker Sally Thomson's PBS-aired Nature documentary, naturalist and host Sir David Attenborough reveals that frogs were the first animals that he kept and studied as a child. Fabulous Frogs serves up an eye-filling spectacle of these variegated amphibians, from the aggressive mating-season brawls of male African bullfrogs to the strikingly colored poison dart frog of Central South America, whose venomous skin could kill a dozen human beings. Having evolved from a salamander-like ancestor, frogs attained formidable dimensions during the age of the dinosaurs; in fact, fossils of the "devil frog of Madagascar" indicate a croaking carnivore about the size of a housecat. Some frogs exhibit paternal instincts that are rare in the animal kingdom, such as the male spadefoot toad of Australia, which watches out for the welfare of tadpoles. While many exotic species are shown here, the widespread wood frog of the Americas enjoys a star turn in an amazing time-lapse sequence illustrating how the amphibian's unique metabolism allows it to practically freeze solid during the winter and then revive in warmer weather. Frogs are sensitive to environmental changes, although threats to the species mainly come from fungus parasites rather than climate shifts. Nature lovers and Attenborough fans will appreciate this engaging profile. Recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (C. Cassady)