Extinction of frogs is catastrophic, scientists say

Reuters ^ | 6/22/05 | Carlos Andrade

[GPBurdell]

By Carlos AndradeWed Jun 22, 8:48 AM ET

Before the arrival of Spanish colonizers some 500 years ago, Indians in what is now Ecuador dipped their arrowheads in venom extracted from the phantasmal poison frog to doom their victims to convulsive death, scientists believe.

More recently, epibatidine -- the chemical which paralyzed and killed the Indians' enemies -- has been isolated to produce a pain killer 200 times more powerful than morphine, but without that drug's addictive and toxic side effects.

Pharmaceutical companies have not yet brought epibatidine to market but hope to discover other chemicals with powerful properties in frogs, which are a traditional source of medicine and food for many of Ecuador's Indians.

They may want to hurry because the treasure trove of the world's frogs and toads is disappearing at a catastrophic rate. And it's not just potential medicines which could be vanishing but creatures of beauty.

"Frogs and toads are becoming extinct all over the world. It's the same magnitude event as the extinction of the dinosaurs," said Luis Coloma, a herpetologist, or scientist dedicated to studying reptiles and amphibians, in Ecuador -- the country with the third-greatest diversity of amphibians.

The thumb-sized jungle-dwelling phantasmal poison frog is an example of amphibian good looks, despite its macabre associations. It is bright red with fluorescent green stripes.

At least two out of five of the 3,046 amphibian types in the Americas -- home to 53 percent of known species -- are threatened with extinction, according to a recent report titled "Disappearing Jewels" by lobby group NatureServe.

Nine amphibians, including eight frogs and a salamander, have become extinct in the Americas in the last 100 years, including five since 1980, according to the report. Scientists have also been unable to find representatives of another 117 species, which are also possibly extinct.

VARIOUS CAUSES

Toads and frogs are dying out under pressure from the expansion of agriculture, forestry, pollution, disease and climate change, NatureServe said.

"Amphibians are disappearing before our eyes," the report said.

Scientists fear they could be indicator species -- a sign of possible future damage to other parts of the ecosystem because frogs and toads are especially vulnerable and thus are the first to disappear.

"Disappearing amphibians break links in the food chain, with often unpredictable effects on other organisms," the report said.

Governments should strengthen controls at existing nature reserves and encourage the breeding of endangered species in captivity if they are to save frogs, NatureServe says.

They should also foster research on the recently discovered chytrid fungal disease, which is killing frogs, and educate the public about the plight of amphibians, it said.

"We have to change the idea that they are ugly and slimy. They are beautiful, diverse species, just like hummingbirds or butterflies," said Martin Bustamante, herpetologist at Ecuador's Catholic University.

The Catholic University possesses one of the largest collections of captive live frogs in the Americas, and, to boost public awareness of frogs and toads and their tribulations, it recently staged an exhibition of some of its charges in the capital Quito.

The jungles and mountains of Ecuador are home to 417 species of frogs and toads, of which more than a third are classed as vulnerable or in critical danger of extinction. In the Americas, only Colombia and Mexico are home to more endangered amphibians, according to NatureServe.

[cogitator]

Supplementary material:

Global Amphibian Assessment -- Summary of Key Findings

* Nearly one-third (32%) of the world’s amphibian species are threatened, representing 1,856 species. By comparison, just 12% of all bird species and 23% of all mammal species are threatened.

* As many as 168 amphibian species may already be extinct. At least 34 amphibian species are known to be extinct, while at least another 113 species have not been found in recent years and are possibly extinct.

* At least 43% of all species are declining in population, indicating that the number of threatened species can be expected to rise in the future. In contrast, fewer than one percent of species show population increases.

* The largest numbers of threatened species occur in Latin American countries such as Colombia (208), Mexico (191), and Ecuador (163). The highest levels of threat, however, are in the Caribbean, where more than 80% of amphibians are threatened in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaica, and a staggering 92% in Haiti.

* Although habitat loss clearly poses the greatest threat to amphibians, a newly recognized fungal disease is seriously affecting an increasing number of species. Perhaps most disturbing, many species are declining for unknown reasons, complicating efforts to design and implement effective conservation strategies.

[jordan8]

When I were a lad every rain would bring out hundreds of frogs and toads, now you hardly ever see them. Nor do you see them squashed in the road much anymore (another indicator and possible factor?). I saw a big toad on my carport a few months ago, the first one I've seen there in years. Something is definitely going on with them, and it's a shame.

[editor-surveyor]

Notice how they make all these chicken-little claims but seldom present any credible evidence?

[cogitator]

See link and site, post 41.

[TN4Liberty]

"Amphibians are disappearing before our eyes," the report said.

Wow, we need to isolate the substance that allows them to do that!

[colonialhk]

grenouille

[Redleg Duke]

And then again, you might not! :-)

You might be like Jean Francois Kerry who objected to it before he didn't object to it!

[HKMk23]

I think this map adequately explains why most posters see no local impact related to this topic. The impacted areas do not involve much of the United States, and in those areas that are within the U.S., each area involves less than four threatened species. Unless your areas of interest or expertise include amphibian species, you simply aren't likely to have noticed any local change.

[sandydipper]

10 years ago toads were all over my 2 acres - doing what toads do - today there is none.

[cogitator]

I think you are on-target with that assessment. I couldn't get the map to display on a page where I could see the image source, but your link did, so I'm showing the map below.

Number of species refers to the number of threatened species. Unfortunately the Caribbean islands are too small to be shown clearly in this global map.

[blackie]

Gee ~ I'll have to learn to live without frog-legs. *sigh*

[NormB]

That article was ribbiting.

[knarf]

Exactly!

"Toads and frogs are dying out under pressure from the expansion of agriculture, forestry, pollution, disease and climate change, NatureServe said."

Expansion of agriculture ... people clearing land to grow food

Forestry ... the controlled harvesting of timber/lumber

pollution and disease ... man's fault by getting sick and kissing frogs while infected

climate change ... algore's warning to us all

.

All in all, I think we should all put on clean clothes and sneakers, drink our cool-aid and lie down to wait for the mother ship.

[oldsalt]

OK,I know this anecdotal,BUT ,you should see the frogs I've seen lately.

Here in North Florida after one of the hurricanes last year,my carport looked like a moving,undulating blanket of baby frogs. They were numbered in the millions...honestly.

Mrs. oldsalt refused to step out of the house for a few days because you had to step on a few hundred baby frogs,(or toads?),on your way to the car...and no tellin' how many my SUV killed!

This phenomenom lasted a few days and then they were gone...where I have no clue.

[sergeantdave]

How many you want? I'll dump a bunch of froggies in a box and tie it up with a nice ribbet.

[calex59]

I haven't noticed that losing the Dinos was such a catastrophe, without their extinction our species may not have fared so well. Actually, if nature hadn't taken out the Dinos humans would have otherwise our lifes would be simply miserable with herds of those beasties running around. Nothing like a group of T-rexes or Sauropods to make a picnic more fun!

Seriously, the world hasn't suffered from the loss of Dinos and it probably won't suffer much if frogs go away, but I must say that in my area of the country frogs seem as plentiful as they have always been, maybe more so.

[editor-surveyor]

"I think this map adequately explains why most posters see no local impact related to this topic"

Possibly three species? What we don't know is whether they are even ligitimate species, or if they are playing the same game as with the salamanders, where the alleged 'species' are visually, and physiologically identical, and are really just different 'families.'

We take good care of our frogs and salamanders at our place, because they eat the critters that eat us!

[HKMk23]

This phenomenom lasted a few days and then they were gone...where I have no clue.

<SARCASM>
Why, they just beamed back up to the Mother Ship and headed back out to the stars, of course. You don't think Gaia would be fool enough to let them hang out with mere terrestrials, now, do you?
</SARCASM>

[AFPhys]

Me too. I have more frogs around these parts than I've ever seen. Wondering if they're all migrating over into my yard or somethin' ... none seem to have four eyes or three legs or purple mustaches, either. ... more's the pity.