For amphibians, water is essential for survival. To begin with, water keeps their skin moist, and they get the oxygen they need from the water that they absorb through their skin. Water is also vital for their reproduction. This is because the eggs of amphibians do not have a hard shell so they need water to keep them from drying out, and to protect them from the rays of the sun. Some species of amphibians are aquatic, and spend all their lives in water. Others spend the beginning of their lives in water as larvae, and later undergo a change called metamorphosis, and move on to land.
Since, water is so important to them, amphibians like frogs seek out damp shady places to live in. Others try to prevent water loss by burrowing underground. In spite of being so dependent on water, amphibians rarely drink it! Isn’t that strange?