Metamorphosis Hops Along

I am so happy to report that our Mossy Tree Frog neonates are progressing through the metamorphosis process at a surprising rate!

Two weeks ago, we received Mossy Tree Frog tadpoles.

Last week, a group of the tadpoles grew legs, arms and lungs. At this phase they are called froglets.

Today, a couple of froglets have almost completely absorbed their tales and are starting to act like young frogs. One of them actually jumped out of my hand and landed on a visitor's shorts!

As they get older, their skin will develop a very mossy texture and color. I'm can't wait to see what colors they will turn out to have!

Metamorphosis in Action

It’s one thing to teach “metamorphosis” at the Exploreum, but it’s quite another to hold it in your hand! Metamorphosis is the process of changing from one form to another. Amphibians go through metamorphosis when they change from tadpoles to adult frogs. In our Frogs, Beyond Green! Exhibit, we are experiencing this amazing process by raising Vietnamese Mossy Tree Frogs!

They were brought to us as tadpoles, the larval stage of the frog’s life. As tadpoles, they live entirely under water and breathe through gills. They are solid black with a long tail that they use to propel them through the water in search for food…they eat A LOT!

In the last few weeks, some of our frogs sprouted limbs and began changing color! As their arms and legs grew larger blue stripes and tiny red dots appeared on their bodies. Once they enter this stage, they are considered “neonates.”



At this phase, they do not eat food. Instead, their tale slowly disappears as it is turned into energy for the body. The coolest part about the neonate phase is that they have developed lungs so we can pick them up! Of course, we have to be careful because they are already using their back legs to hop away!

Our Mossy Tree Frog Neonates will stay in this phase for about 3 months before they completely transform into adult frogs. In that time, we’ll keep a close eye (and hand) on their progress. This is definitely a lesson in metamorphosis that won’t be forgotten!

Slow Mo Feeding Frogs

Today we decided to test the high speed video camera on frogs feeding. I shot 9 videos in order to get 3 that turned out. Melissa made sure that the frogs had fresh crickets and flies to go after so that we were able to get a few good shots. Melissa explained a bit about how some of the frogs crush thier food by retracting thier own eyes. Watch for that in the video. It shows up very well in the African Bull Frog.

Big Red Cabinet

Not all of the activity at the Exploreum is out in the open. Most of our staff is working on projects that our visitors will not see for months to come. Our Ciba Lab science guy Tim has been working on multiple projects funded by an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant. The program is FunDamental Physics. One of our exhibits will be a Van De Graff Generator. The cabinet for it arrived today. The controls for it have been designed by engineering students from the University of South Alabama. They will be by on Friday to do some work with in that area of the project. The exhibit is not quite finished yet but we hope to have it on our exhibit floor by August at the latest. Keep an eye out for more information on our IMLS projects. If you don't already have it, you can download Google Sketchup for FREE from http://sketchup.google.com/ and then download our 3D project drawings FREE from the Google 3D warehouse http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?q=Exploreum&styp=m
Check it out, especially if you like designing or building cool things.

Hop Behind the Scenes

Even the Exploreum staff has to go to class!

Once the frogs were settled, B. Ian Hiler, director of touring exhibits for the Aububon Nature Institute, gave our education staff a walk-through lesson about the amazing creatures that are in our charge through November 2. Take a peek behind the scenes. It's toadally cool. I know; I know, but I couldn't resist.

One of the neatest things: Ian mentions that beta blockers are based on toxins secreted by poison dart frogs. In the IMAX Film Amazon, audiences learn about the importance of the medicinal properties of plants that live in the rainforests of Amazonia. Nature holds so many remedies, secrets waiting to be discovered. That's why it's so important to do our part to protect the Amazon's flora and fauna, a rich resource of scientific knowledge.

Please pardon the blurry spots, this is the first movie I've ever shot. Tim let me use the insta-camera from the Ciba Lab and he was kind enough to edit the movie down as well. Talk about teamwork!

Homeschoolers Rock!

Check out the amps the homeschool class created today. We could hear them all the way down in the offices. How cool is that!?

Just a little imagination and practical science know-how and not only have you created something useful and personal but you've reduced your carbon footprint by reusing materials.


Marah Fenn made her amp out of an o.j. can and was listening to All Time Low cover Rihanna's Umbrella on her iPod.








Brittany Reynolds (reluctantly) showed off her amp that was created within a translucent box. What a great idea. It allows you to see all the guts and the work that was involved.








Zach Stokes used a pencil box so if he's jamming out, working on quantum physics, no one will know where the tunes are coming from.









What would you make your amp out from? I vote for an empty sunscreen bottle for beach trips -- what better way to recycle!

Tigers are the Buzz Around Town

The Marcan Tiger Preserve family arrived last night and began setting up for an exciting nine days of educational demonstrations. Media began arriving today. Fox TV got some footage to let everyone in Mobile know what's going on this weekend.

The Press-Register was on to of it too. I have to say, photojournalist John David Mercer was fearless. He got a lot closer than I ever would have dreamed of...I would never say it doesn't fall within my job description, but there is a reason for zoom lenses. And the cage.

During the heat of the late afternoon -- could this be the cat days of summer? -- the tigers were napping mostly. However, Brett did receive a call from a city employee who said they could hear roaring from their office. I think we all agree with Ilka when she says, "That's ggggrrrreat!"

Be sure to stop by June 7-15, bring your friends and family -- but leave your umbrellas at home. Surprisingly, the tigers are scared of them!