Public Knowledge and Perception of Toads and Frogs in Three Areas of Subtropical Southeast China

Abstract

This study investigated people’s perceptions and knowledge of toads and frogs in three areas of Southeast China: rural Gutian Shan, semi-rural Xin Gan Shan, and the city of Quzhou. In 2010, 672 randomly selected laypersons (between eight and 80 years old) were interviewed with the help of a standardized questionnaire and a picture test. Study participants named a variety of toads and frogs. The naming of a species and its actual identification on paper was positively correlated. Overall, toads and frogs were thought to be rather beautiful. The more amphibian species participants correctly identified, the more they considered them beautiful. Amphibians were considered important for pest control, medicinal purposes, and consumption. With increasing age, more toads and frogs were named and also correctly identified. The urban study population named and identified more species correctly than the rural one, and women identified more species correctly than men.