A biologist’s hobby turns her into a ‘frog collector’

New Delhi: When biologist Seema Bhatt picked up a "cute and innovative" frog shaped cane pot holder from Kenya, little did she know that it marked the start of a lifetime of collecting frog shaped mementoes.

"As I travelled both within and outside India, I found myself picking up a frog or two almost everywhere I went. It was the perfect souvenir, and added to what was to become 'my frog collection'," says Bhatt.

Over a span of 30 years the biologist, a Fullbright scholar who has worked with the WWF and USAID, says her collection now totals over 400.

Ranging from solid, stolid, metallic frogs to delicate, fragile ones made from glass and crystal and others made of ceramic and clay, stone and wood, Bhatt's collection contains all possible renditions of the amphibian from over 30 countries.

Her initial liking towards frogs, says Bhatt, turned into a passion when she understood the animal's significance in the ecosystem.

"Frogs contribute to the diversity of life and serve as indicators of biodiversity loss," she says.

Bhatt says her resolve towards expanding her collection strengthened after a shopkeeper who sold her a frog memento in Costa Rica, told her that a percentage of the sale would go to the protection of the country's forests. While amphibians are among the most threatened group of animals, frogs in particular need very specific places to live and breed in both on land and water. Owing to their sensitive skin that tends to absorb harmful chemicals, frogs are susceptible to environmental disturbances.

"As a conservation professional it gives me joy to feel that I can contribute a bit towards protecting the animal's habitat," says Bhatt, who recalls dissecting frogs as a student.

Her collection has the amphibian in a variety of designs shaped like a butler frog, a frog orchestra, frogs reading books and lounging lazily, among others.

But her fascination has gone beyond decorative pieces, finding place in items of daily use and also her wardrobe. "A complicated metal lock in the shape of a frog helps keep the house safe, my bottle opener is a metal frog, and I sometimes sip tea in a frog mug," she says. "I wear frogs too. Dangling from my ears, draped around my neck in scarves, and sometimes snugly wrapping my feet in frog socks."

Frogs for Bhatt, have ceased to be merely souveniers of places that she or her family and friends have visited, instead, she says, they have helped her start a journey of discovering more about the places they come from.

She possesses the famous "croaking wooden frog" from Thailand, an "agate frog" from Pakistan, "stuffed cloth frogs" from South-east Asia, "wooden frogs" from Indonesia etc.