The Akron Zoo is the new managing organization for a national conservation program, FrogWatch USA. The zoo was appointed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to manage this citizen science program where volunteers track calls of local frogs and toads for a national database used in the development of environmental protection and conservation strategies for amphibians. Amphibians are considered "indicator species," which signal the environmental health of a habitat, and are experiencing a sharp decline in population numbers.