Get to know: Phil the Frog
Get to know Phil the Frog, Senior Liaison to Inter-amphibian Monitoring and Engagement (SLIME), previously called Liaison for Ecosystems Amphibian Programs and Science (LEAPS).
How long have you worked at the USGS and what do you do?
I can’t believe this is already my second year helping USGS ARMI scientists! They are working on amphibian decline and figuring out how to help advance amphibian conservation. What a great team!
What attracted you to your current position?
We amphibians are in trouble, and ARMI scientists need someone from the field to provide a frog’s-eye view of what it’s like to be part of a global crisis. I can contribute to that perspective and connect with other amphibians.
What is your favorite part of your current job?
Amphibian Week. Amphibian Week was started in 2020 as a way to spread the word about how cool and important we are and to teach people about the threats we face, like disease and pollution.
What other, if any, prior government experience do you have?
Well, since the embargo on the information from this national security task force has expired, I guess I can tell you that I previously worked for the CIA and FWS in some covert operations aimed at taking down some pretty notorious wildlife trafficking rings. That was definitely a dangerous but very rewarding, experience.
If you could give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Oh boy, that would be my three-year-old self in frog years. We frogs don’t live that long! I’d say, be a little more proactive about getting out of the pond and finding that cozy first-year hibernaculum.
What is your favorite daily ritual?
I typically enjoy a mid-morning cup of gnat tea and a careful inspection of my toe webbing.
What’s your favorite meal or local restaurant?
Flies on the wing with a side of earthworm.
What was the last (or favorite) book you read?
The last book I read was “Lost Frogs and Hot Snakes,” edited by Martha Crump. That book really reveals the heart and soul of herpetologists, my favorite people. Of course, my favorite book is “Frog and Toad are Friends” by Arnold Lobel. It's such an uplifting tale and really helps to take my mind off the heavy stuff we amphibians have to deal with.
What is your favorite TV show?
“Blacklist” – James Spader has depth. I hope I’m not spoiling this for anyone, but I miss that chemistry between Elizabeth and Reddington.
If you could travel on a time machine to any era in time, what would it be and why?
1859 because it would be fascinating to watch the discussions around the publication of Darwin’s big book on the origin of species. It was such an important event in the history of biology and, let’s be honest, to all of society.
If you could have any superpower what would you pick and why?
Well, I kind of already have a couple – fastest tongue in the West and I can jump pretty far – but I’d like to be immune to that nasty amphibian chytrid fungus.
If you could invite any three people, living or not, to dinner who would it be and why?
Billy Brennan (aka “Billy B”) – because he sings to kids about things like frogs and nature and swamps and has written a song especially for Amphibian Week; Dr. Phil Bishop of the University of Otago, New Zealand – because he was a great herpetologist and champion of amphibians and I’m named after him!; Taylor Swift – because I’d like to talk to her about my friend Kermit the Frog, and try to understand about the fan references to the “evil Kermit meme” in her new “Are you ready for it?” music video.
What is your favorite activity or hobby when you’re not at work?
It’s hard to choose, but origami and power lifting are top contenders. They engage different yet complementary parts of my brain.
What is one of your favorite songs/band?
“A Salamander is NOT a Number!” by Scratch Garden and the band Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Where did you travel last, domestically or internationally?
I typically don’t travel far from home base, but I’m thrilled to travel to Washington, D.C. this spring for Amphibian Week!
Do you speak any other languages? If so, what?
I can speak some of the toad dialects, and I’ve been learning Newt on one of those language apps.
Have you had any great career mentors, and if so, what made them great?
I’d have to say Dave Applegate, the USGS Director. His enthusiasm really inspired me when I got to meet him last spring. Brian Gratwicke at the Smithsonian and Mary Kay Watry at Fish and Wildlife Service do outstanding work for amphibians. Their efforts, from international amphibian rescue to amphibian research in individual national parks, are frogtastic and show me that conservation can be effective at so many scales.
Describe yourself in three words.
Green, a little jumpy, committed.
What would you title your memoir?
“When Your World is Rocked: Surviving the Global Amphibian Decline”
What does your ideal vacation look like?
Clean water, healthy vegetation, organically sourced flies and worms, and quick access to hiding places.
This interview was originally published on internal USGS website (@atthecore) for Amphibian Week 2024.