Hopping into Spring at the Museum of Natural History

NOTE TO EDITORS: The model of the giant peeper will be placed on the side of the Museum of Natural History on Wednesday, May 11, at 11 a.m.

Spring has officially sprung at the Museum of Natural History. The giant peeper will be placed on the side of the museum on Wednesday, May 11.

This marks the 20th anniversary of the peeper's appearance on the side of the building. This year the frog will be changing his usual perch. The public will see him on the south-east corner of the museum, peering down at the museum backyard.

"For many of our visitors and motorists, the peeper has become a welcome sight as one of the first real signs of spring" said Janet Maltby, museum manager.

During the early weeks of spring museum staff receive numerous calls from across the province reporting sounds of peeping including many inquiries as to when the frog will be going on the building. "Traditionally, he goes out with the first consistent recorded sounds of spring peepers," said Ms. Maltby.

The peeper is a giant wood and fibreglass model of the Northern Spring Peeper, a sub-species of the treefrog family. These quarter size frogs leave their winter hibernation in early spring and begin their familiar chorus of peeping to attract mates as the nights become warmer.

"For many of us growing up in Nova Scotia, the tranquil sound of spring peepers late at night is part of our childhood experiences and it let's us know that warmer weather will soon be on its way," said museum curator Christine Sykora.

The frog made his debut in 1985 marking the release of the popular museum publication Amphibians and Reptiles of Nova Scotia by John Gilhen, and as part of the award-winning museum program Frog Watch.

Visit the museum's website at nature.museum.gov.ns.ca for more information on Nova Scotia nature.