'Invasion of the Land Animals': March program

Known for its mesmerizing walk-through tunnel-tanks that show off elegant swirls of sardines, lazing rockfish, giant sea bass and a dizzying variety of rays and sharks, the Aquarium of the Bay has long appealed to young oceanographers-in-training. Dedicated to educating the public about conservation issues, the Aquarium is now expanding its sights to include land-dwellers such as the Pacific tree frog and the western toad, which kids can see up close during a special preview on Sunday.

Frogs and toads, long considered barometers of the planet's ecological health, are among the creatures most sensitive to changes in climate patterns. The aquarium's Invasion of the Land Animals programs, which take place each weekend in March, lead up to the opening on April 4 of the PG&E Bay Lab, an interactive exhibition on climate change as well as exhibits on the giant Pacific octopus and moon jellies. Aquarium organizers hope that the new lab will help introduce kids to conservation issues and put a face on the victims of global warming.

Read more at The SF Chronicle Website.