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Amphibians

✨ A double life

Amphibians are vertebrate animals that usually spend part of their lives in water and part on land. This group includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Most amphibians begin life as aquatic larvae, such as tadpoles, which breathe through gills before developing into adults that often use lungs and their skin to exchange gases.

Their skin is generally thin and moist, allowing them to absorb oxygen and water, but it also makes them sensitive to changes in their environment. Amphibians live in many habitats, including forests, wetlands, rivers, and ponds.

They play an important role in ecosystems because they help control insect populations and serve as food for many other animals. Their reproduction usually depends on water, where many species lay eggs that do not have protective shells.

Amphibians are considered valuable indicators of environmental health because they can be affected quickly by pollution, habitat loss, climate change, and diseases. Protecting their habitats helps preserve the balance of many ecosystems.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that amphibians have a 'superpower' in their skin? They can breathe not only through their lungs but also through their moist and sensitive skin! This is why they always need to stay near water or in very cool, damp places so they don't dry out.

There is an amazing species called the 'wood frog'. In winter, this brave frog can freeze almost entirely and become a living ice cube! As soon as spring arrives and the weather warms up, its heart starts beating again, it thaws, and starts jumping around.

Some salamanders, like the axolotl, have the incredible ability to regrow parts of their body! If they lose a leg or their tail, they can completely rebuild them in a few weeks. This is a fascinating phenomenon that scientists study closely.