Kermit the Frog

Probably the most famous anuran of them all, Kermit the Frog first appeared in 1955.

Despite many film credits, Kermit is best known for his role as the host of The Muppet Show where he is responsible for introducing the acts and managing the backstage area.

It is claimed by some that Kermit and Miss Piggy, another star of The Muppet Show are married. Miss Piggy firmly believes that her and "Kermie" have tied the knot. However, Kermit strongly denies this insisting that the ceremony was simply a scene the couple were filmimg.

Other members of Kermit's extended family have appeared on the show. The most notable performance was by his nephew Robin who sang "Halfway Up The Stairs". However, his greatest friend is probably Fozzie Bear.

In recognition of his contribution to film and television, Kermit was honoured in 2002 with a TV star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.

In 1996, Southampton College, New York awarded Kermit an honorary doctorate in Amphibious Letters for his contributions to environmental awareness and education. The citation for the award reads as follows.

 
Although a very small frog in a very big pond, for forty years you have taught by giggles the serious importance of environmental issues and shown us a "greenprint" for humanity. "It's not easy being green," as we have all discovered, but a global movement now wears your colour proudly. From monarchs to toddlers, you have brought joy and laughter into a world that desperately needs both. How appropriate to bestow this honor during leap year.

Frogman, a.k.a. Tim Cotterill

Tim 'Frogman' Cotterill is famous for his bronze sculptures of frogs and other amphibians.

Dendrobatidae

Dendrobatidae, more commonly known as Poison-dart frogs, are probably the most well known of the worlds 5000+ species of frogs.

Most species are small and often brightly coloured to warn potential predators of their toxicity. They are active during their day and are most often found in the tropical environments of Central and South America.

The poison carried by these frogs is secreted through the skin. However, it is believed that they do not manufacture this naturally but obtain it from elements of their diet including ants, centipedes and mites. This is believed to explain why captive individuals are less toxic than those in the wild.

Given the correct environment, they make good pets provided they are handled correctly. They have been known to live as long as 25 years in captivity, much longer than the 1-3 years life expectancy in the wild. They are normally fed a diet of live fruit flies and pin head crickets.

Cane Toads

Cane toads are famous following their introduction to Australia in an attempt to provide a natural biological control for beetles impacting sugar cane crops. However, rather than provide the desired control, the toads themselves have multiplied to the point where they themselves are considered a pest. They have also been responsible for the decline in a number of native predatory reptile species.

Rumours continue to circulate regarding the intoxicating effect of licking cane toads. Little actual evidence of the practice can be found but scientific studies of the toxin bufotenine, produced by the toads to deter predators, has shown it to induce hallucinatory effects as well as nausea and chest pains.

Crazy Frog

Crazy Frog was created in 1997 by Erik Wernquist to accompany an existing impersonation of the noise produced by an internal combustion engine. Initial success came from the use of the character and the soundtrack as a mobile phone ringtone. Since then, the Crazy Frog has gone on to record a number of chart topping singles and albums.

Racing Frogs

Racing Frogs is a quick-fix multiplayer online game developed by Wacky Web Fun Ltd as an accompaniment to the book "Frog City and the Racing Frogs" by Julian Patrick.

The aim of the game is to create, name, train, feed and motivate a frog that will race of its own accord on a daily basis. This only requires a few minutes each day making the game enjoyable without the need to dedicate vast amounts of time to be successful.

Initially designed for children, it has become something of a cult hit with a large number of adults who play on a regular basis. At the time of writing, almost 870,000 frog trainers were registered on the site.