Similarities Between Frogs & Rabbits

In addition to the most obvious similarity between frogs and rabbits -- they hop -- this amphibian and land mammal have several other things in common. They can both be found throughout the world, exist in hundreds of species, and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They also fall prey to climate change, among other common dangers.

  1. Endangered

    • Several species of rabbits and frogs are endangered or extinct. According to a 2006 article in the "Washington Post," 112 species of frogs had disappeared since the 1980s, largely because of climate change. Other causes of decline include chemical pollution and epidemic diseases. A 2003 article in "National Geographic" discusses six types of rabbits in danger of disappearing, among them the pygmy in the United States, the European rabbit in Spain and the Amami rabbit in Japan.

    Edible

    • People around the world eat frogs and rabbits; both are especially popular outside the United States. French restaurants serve frog legs sauteed in garlic and herbs, rabbit in mustard sauce, and rabbit stew. The animals can be purchased in some U.S. supermarkets, and every winter, frogs take center stage at the Frog Leg Festival in Fellsmere, Florida, which features frog leg platters with coleslaw, grits and hushpuppies.

    Habitat

    • Frogs and rabbits live in many different habitats. The frog's habitats range from rainforests to deserts. The rabbit's habitats include meadows, grasslands and thickets, where they tend to dwell underground. Both animals abundantly inhabit forests, where they fall prey to weasels, foxes, hawks and snakes, although they are both adept at remaining hidden in vegetation.

    Classroom

    • Rabbits make easy classroom pets, and they serve a dual purpose there. They can be used as an educational tool during science lessons and, in classrooms with very young children, they can teach students how to care for an animal properly. Frogs sometimes find a home in classroom aquariums, but they are more often the subjects dissection in a high-school science lab.

    Testing

    • Frogs and rabbits were used in a Colorado State University study that ran from 2002 to 2007. It quantified the effects of phthalates, pollutants associated with reproductive defects but nonetheless commonly added to plastic toys, shower curtains and cosmetics. Rabbits received exposure to the phthalates in utero and through lactation, and scientists exposed tadpoles between 3 and 12 weeks old. The study helped encourage the removal of phthalates from many items on the market, with some even carrying a label stating the products are phthalate-free.