[GPBurdell]

Should we stop saying "save the whales" and say "save the frogs?"

Buzz
Buzz Blog

[adam_az]

"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."

Indians with deadly poison on their arrows, good.

Americans with guns, bad.

Gosh, don't ya love the MSM?

[randog]

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.

That's as far as I needed to read.

[Swiss]

Local store has a special of froglegs at $3.99 for 16 oz.

Something scarce usually costs more than that, those Spotted Owls and California Condors was something you only bought for special events like Christmas dinner until the price started coming down.

[Domestic Church]

Still got plenty of 'em here!

[G Larry]

I was upset when they dried up our old "polliwog pond" from my childhood.

I'm over it now, with the overabundance of toads in the hall of congress.

[Alouette]

When there's no more Paris, you can always go to Montreal.

[LIConFem]

"Extinction of frogs is catastrophic, scientists say"

Catastrophic???? I mean, I'm sure it sucks for the frogs, but let's be reasonable here...

[uglybiker]

...frogs, which are a traditional source of medicine and food for many of Ecuador's Indians.

Monseur Chirac should best steer clear of Ecuador.

[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.

[TN4Liberty]

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

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

[sandydipper]

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

[NormB]

That article was ribbiting.

[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.

[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.

[TASMANIANRED]

More junk science.

[Our man in washington]

Frogs managed to survive the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. I think they could handle a one-degree change in the world's climate.

But frogs are all over the world. Perhaps they each evolved to deal with the various parasites and funguses that existed in their part of the world, but are ill-equipped to deal with those from another part of the world. Perhaps humans are unwittingly spreading parasites around the world somehow.

[infidel dog]

Ah, yes, more doom and gloom on the environmental front. The frogs are disappearing. So whaddaya want me to do about it? Seriously, folks, these environmental people remind me of people in the path of a tornado running around in circles screaming "We're all gonna die!!! We're all gonna die!!!" instead of looking for a storm cellar. It's easy to forget how the environmental movement actually accomplished things in the 60's and 70's(the restoration of large species such as wolves and improvements in water quality spring to mind) by offering a message of hope. Today's environmentalists are so relentlessly grim and negative they are the worst enemies of their own worthwhile cause. Maybe they just want everyone to be miserable. I really don't know. But if they were with me on board the USS Earth, and the old ship started taking on water, the first thing I'd do is throw their hysterical, smelly, birkenstocked asses to the sharks and go help the captain and engineers seal the hull. THE FROGS ARE DYING!!! DON'T YOU FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT IT???? Sorry, Mr. Ponytail. If I paint myself green and run naked down Main Street will Kermit's vital signs improve? These people are so illogical.

[quark]

"NO EXTINCTION POUR MOI, S'IL VOUS PLAIT."

[12chachacha]

There are plenty of frogs on the golf course I play. They are always getting stuck on my spikes.