Podcast Summary

Short Wave (NPR)

Episode Title: What drives animals to your yard? It's complicated
Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: Emily Kwong & Hannah Chin

Overview

This episode of Short Wave investigates why people are noticing an uptick in frogs and lizards in their yards, focusing on a listener’s question from Lawrenceville, Georgia. Hosts Emily Kwong and producer Hannah Chin go on a "nature quest" to answer: What drives animals to your yard, and what can (or should) you do about it? With humor, curiosity, and local experts, they unpack the science behind urban wildlife, how humans shape animal habitats, and what options homeowners have when their gardens become unexpectedly rich in visitors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Listener's Dilemma: Too Many Amphibians ([00:59]–[02:15])

• Listener Shabnam Khan reports a recent explosion of frogs and lizards in her Atlanta-area garden, making her uneasy enough to avoid gardening.
  • “Every time I'm gardening, every time I'm working in the yard, I get scared by lizards and frogs. Oh, no… The quantity boggles my mind.” – Shabnam ([01:25]–[02:11])

2. Identifying the Creatures ([04:02]–[04:59])

• Shabnam sends photos—her visitors are common, native species: green anoles, five-lined skinks, and green tree frogs, confirmed by herpetologist Daniel Sullenberger (Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources).
  • Emily: “So this one, it's like a peacock lizard. It has this pink throat sack…”
  • Sullenberger: “The top animal is the green anole. That's one of our most common lizards… Really common in gardens and home areas.” ([04:27]–[04:45])

3. Why Are There So Many? Habitat and Human Influence ([05:19]–[06:34])

• Adaptable species thrive in suburban and urban yards, especially if those yards are hospitable (native plants, water features, infrequent mowing).
  • Sullenberger: “There are things that you can do in your yard, intentionally or unintentionally, that tend to make better wildlife habitat.” ([05:52])
  • Mara Dudley (Oglethorpe University): “What species might actually be found in your listener's area is going to depend a lot on the habitats that are present. And primarily, is your listener within about 100 yards of a body of water…” ([06:34])

4. What Can You Do—Reduce or Accept Wildlife? ([07:07]–[09:11])

• Two main strategies:
  • Eradication Approach: Make the yard inhospitable by frequent mowing, removing vegetation and hiding places.
    • Sullenberger: “Just places for animals to hide. These are all terrible ideas in my opinion. But if you want to see less wildlife…have nothing but concrete and sod and you’ll see a lot less stuff.” ([07:18]–[07:55])
    • Trade-off: Less wildlife also means fewer birds and pollinators. ([08:00])
  • Sharing is Caring Approach: Create a sanctuary—leave wild areas for frogs and lizards away from human activity.
    • Dudley: “They probably don't want to see her as much as she does not want to see them… So build a spot for them to do that.” ([08:25]–[09:00])
    • Amphibians and reptiles help gardeners by eating pests.
      • Dudley: “…having snakes or frogs in her garden because they are some of the biggest consumers of insects and other pests like mice and rats…” ([09:11])

5. The Big Picture: Urbanization and Shifting Wildlife ([10:07]–[12:17])

• Urban development pushes animals into remaining green spaces, including yards (seen in Atlanta, Florida, Yellowstone, etc.).
  • Dudley: “What was potentially suitable habitat for a lot of amphibians and reptiles now is no longer suitable. And those species have to move…”
• Fragmentation and chemical use (pesticides), as well as domestic cats, have significant negative impacts:
  • “It was estimated that up to 92 million frogs were killed per year by cats in Australia… It's in the millions. That's just frogs.” – Dudley ([11:47])
• Humans can help wildlife by planting native plants, avoiding pesticides, keeping cats indoors, and supporting wetlands.
  • Emily: “There is so much we can do to help amphibians in our neighborhoods.” ([12:40])

6. Are There Actually More Frogs and Lizards? Lack of Data ([12:46]–[13:59])

• No long-term studies track amphibian/reptile populations in metro Atlanta—so increased sightings may not mean higher numbers.
  • Community science is helping fill this gap: Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Program (MAMP) trains locals to observe and record species.
    • Dudley: “The community science program is called the Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Program, which we like to refer to as MAMP because that's quite a mouthful.” ([13:20])
  • Anyone can join, not just scientists ([13:31]); info in show notes.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On changing the yard:
  • Sullenberger (07:18): “These are all terrible ideas in my opinion. But if you want to see less wildlife around your home, have nothing but concrete and sod and you'll see a lot less stuff.”
• On animals' perspective:
  • Dudley (08:25): “They probably don't want to see her as much as she does not want to see them.”
• On community involvement:
  • Dudley (13:20): “The community science program is called the Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Program, which we like to refer to as MAMP because that's quite a mouthful.”
• On cats and amphibians:
  • Dudley (11:47): “It was estimated that up to 92 million frogs were killed per year by cats in Australia… It's in the millions. That's just frogs.”

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:25] Shabnam describes her newfound fear of gardening due to amphibians
• [04:27] Daniel Sullenberger identifies lizards and frogs from listener photos
• [05:52] Sullenberger explains role of human landscaping in attracting wildlife
• [07:18] Eradication approach to removing animals from yards
• [08:25] Sharing-the-garden approach and its ecological benefits
• [10:07] Mara Dudley on urbanization's impact on local wildlife
• [11:47] Domestic cats’ toll on amphibian populations
• [13:20] Community science: Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Program

Conclusion

The episode unpacks the complexity behind why more animals are being spotted in urban and suburban yards, revealing that what seems like a critter "invasion" is often a result of human landscaping choices and broader development trends. Listeners are encouraged to shift perspective: with a little planning, we can create space both for ourselves and native wildlife. And, with the help of community science, everyone can contribute to understanding and preserving the creatures that share our gardens.