WORLD 29 February 2008 A day for women to "pop the question", birthdays, crazy electronics and leap frogs 

The day that only comes around every four years is associated with women proposing marriage, birthday-deprived individuals and electronic devices in meltdown. In 2008 it shares the spotlight with frogs.

The globe's zoos and aquariums have declared 2008 "The Year of the Frog" to rally international support for saving amphibians from extinction. They have designated the extra calendar date Frog Leap Day to further the aim.

Up to half of the world's 6,000 species of frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and worm-like caecilians are threatened by disease, pollution and climate change, according to groups organizing the initiative. TV naturalist Sir David Attenborough of Life on Earth and The Living Planet fame has agreed to lend his support.

Three conservation groups" are in conversation with Kermit the Frog," says Jeffrey Bonner, chairman of Amphibian Ark, a U.S.-based effort to raise US $50 million for the rescue of species from extinction. Chris Bonner and the president and CEO of the St. Louis Zoo, he was quoted in an article about the initiative by USA Today in Oct 2007. "We would hope to see him in Times Square when the ball drops on New Year's to kick this thing off." Kermit is a character in the iconic TV puppet series, "The Muppets."

Amphibian Ark is one of the groups behind the initiative. It plans to establish 500 rescue facilities, especially in Latin America and Africa, where most of the threatened species live. Oct/07

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