When free range eggs are not free range

Do you know anyone with a stomach ulcer? The Southern gastric brooding frog (Rheobactrachus silos) could have helped them. These amazing little Australian frogs breed their young in the female's stomach. (She swallows the eggs and they become tadpoles safe in her stomach. Then she “burps” them out once they are little frogs.) It was hoped that researching how the babies were safe from stomach acids could help us fight stomach ulcers. But the frog, only found as recently as the 1970s, is now extinct. A Northern gastric brooding frog was later found but is also now extinct. As are many frogs recently. (Later I'll tell you how to make a frog pond for summer.) However, now, it is important to let sleeping frogs lie.

Frogs and lizards help us and our plants by eating flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers and other insects, including garden pests. And, they play a vital role in the food chain as they are the food source for the bigger wildlife such as kookaburras. Did you know kookaburras are disappearing from many cities because of competition for food.

So in winter don't move any log, stone or branch (or anything that's been there for a while) in your garden. It may be a frog or lizards only shelter from the cold and you could be taking away their home. If you do you could be exposing many a sheltered/sleeping animal to winter and the weather, and kill them. 

And if something falls make sure it's moved immediately before a little creature finds it and uses it as a home and shelter (two  weeks ago I put out a potplant for the rain, only to find a frog under it by the evening).  

Finally when designing your garden make sure there are suitable logs and stones in your garden for them. They will help you and the garden in very many ways. 

So please, if you haven't moved a log before now – don't. Wait a while longer until spring.