Emily Kwong

So even a pool a block away could be contributing to what Shabnam is seeing in her yard.

Yeah, totally.

It's like the length of a football field.

So what can she do then to avoid seeing more lizards and frogs in her garden?

So create like a little amphibian sanctuary in a dedicated spot of the garden.

Yeah, exactly.

I feel like this is a whole perspective shift on amphibians in Atlanta from these herpetologists.

They're like, that may not be so bad.

Yeah, exactly.

Of course, I imagine this is happening in other places, not just Atlanta, where...

Someone is noticing their garden being frequented by more and different animals.

Are there larger trends in urban wildlife?

Like, can we link what's happening in Shabnam's yard to a bigger ecological rise and fall in urban lizards and frogs?

Right, because if they lose their habitat, then they got to go somewhere, and that somewhere could be places that people are.

Honestly, this doesn't surprise me.

Cats are, they're adorable.

I have one.

And they're meant to kill.

So what I'm hearing from you, Hannah, is there is so much we can do to help amphibians in our neighborhoods.

And if you, like Hannah and I, are not in the metro Atlanta area, but still want to learn how to identify and document local frogs, consider seeing if you have an active local Frog Watch chapter.