Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia (Amphibians)

Amphibians are cold-blooded animals that typically start out as lava living in water which subsequently metamorphose from their juvenile to their adult form although some species have developed behavioural adaptations to bypass this. As they cannot generate their own body heat, amphibians rely on the temperature of their environment to help them stay warm or cool enough to survive. Amphibians can be found in a wide variety of habitats with most species living in within freshwater aquatic ecosystems including rainforests, rivers and streams. Some species live in deserts and alpine environments. There are over 6,000 species of amphibians and they inhabit all continents, except Antarctica. Amphibians are among the first species to be affected by environmental overstress so when their numbers are declining in the wild, as at present, it is considered to be a warning that changes are occurring in the environment that may also affect humans.