I started listening to frogs — really listening, that is — while stationed in upstate New York at a now closed Air Force base. Birding workshops took us into the High Peaks Wilderness of the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park, where we heard mink frogs, leopard frogs, the spring peeper (over and over), bullfrogs and wood frogs. In the early days of frogs’ breeding seasons, the nightime chorus — especially that of the peepers — is incredible, a soothing presence that’s akin to the quiet murmuring of a cold mountain stream.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of amphibian species worldwide are facing extinction in the not-too-distant future as a mysterious killer fungus marches on.
Herpetologists met in Atlanta Thursday and Friday to map out a global conservation scheme they are calling “Amphibian Ark.” The AP’s Dorie Turner reports on the conference here.
An excerpt from Turner’s reporting:
The aim of the group called Amphibian Ark is to prevent the world’s more than 6,000 species of frogs, salamanders and wormlike sicilians from disappearing. Scientists estimate up to 170 species of frogs have become extinct in the past decade from the fungus and other causes, and an additional 1,900 species are threatened.
“This is the precedent of a disease working its way across an entire species on the scale of all mammals, all birds or all fish,” said Joseph Mendelson, curator of herpetology at Zoo Atlanta and an organizer of Amphibian Ark. “Humans would be absolutely stupid if they didn’t pay attention to that.”
The fungus works like a parasite that makes it difficult for the frogs to use their pores, quickly causing them to die of dehydration. It has been linked to the extinction of amphibians from Australia to Costa Rica, according to the wire story.
You can listen to NPR’s Saturday evening report on the conference. You know what to do.
I had trouble loading the Amphibian Ark Web page, but you can try here.
And for information on Frogwatch USA, a monitoring program once run by the USGS but later moved to the National Wildlife Federation when funding dried up, go here. (I was a Frogwatch volunteer for three or four years. It’s a great way to learn about local species).
I am curious as to how they plan on saving the Amphibians. Would so many of a species be held in a protected area?
I think that this problem has been around a couple of years now–has their been a drastic change in the speed that this is spreading? Or is it something that has just taken this long to come to light?
Good Post Once again, Alan!
J. Alan, I forwarded this link to my friend Rick, a herpetologist/naturalist who serves on the Pennsylvania Biological Survey’s Herpetological Technical Committee. I’ll post whatever info I receive from him. In any case, it appears that many amphibian species are sliding into an abyss.
J. Alan, here’s Rick Koval’s reply:
As far as I can determine, frog populations have been pretty remarkable in our region however, there are PA serious declines of once abundant species like leopard frogs statewide, cricket frogs in southern PA and Fowler’s toads in western PA. I hope some of our fragmented ponds and wetlands actually serve are quarantined breeding pockets just like the researcher’s suggested Frog Ark approach.
This stuff scares the living hell out of me! We might see the eastern hemlock extinct in our life time!
I’m glad the scientific community is acting proactively.
Rick