Green Daily

It's rare that ecological conservation and meat consumption go hand-in-hand, but Ken Holyak has found a way to marry these two strange bedfellows. According to some experts, the earth is currently in the middle of a worldwide mass extinction, in which thousands of animal species are dying off in droves. One of the groups that has been hardest hit is amphibians, particularly frogs.

This, in turn, has led to devastation in the frog leg market. Famous as a French foodstuff, the legs are particularly popular in China, where attempts at farm-raised frogs have led to the development of meat that some chefs describe as "muddy-tasting" and "dark."

Ken Holyoak, a Georgia aquaculturist, has come up with a creative, elegant solution. By developing a collection of controlled artificial ponds, swamps, and waterways, he has produced the world's first free-range, cultivated frogs. His frogs are not only a source of healthy, organic meat, but also constitute an impressive attempt at conservation. While amphibians are dying off around the world, Holyoak is raising approximately 150,000 per year for sale to restaurants, markets, and individuals.

While I'm that some would against Mr. Holyoak's methods (or against eating frogs in the first place!), there's a lot to be said for any endeavor that works to keep huge quantities of frogs on the planet!