Frog killer found after 6-year stakeout ("Noah's Ark Solution" for amphibian extinction)

CNN ^ | Tuesday, February 21, 2006

[presidio9]

-snip-

Such adaptations have kept frogs around for millions of years, but a recent checkup has scientists concerned. They fear a sudden mass extinction of amphibians on a scale and pace not experienced since the age of dinosaurs.

Nearly a third of the world's 6,000 species of frogs, toads and salamanders are in danger of disappearing, according to the Global Amphibian Assessment.

In the past 20 to 30 years, about 120 species of frogs are believed to have become extinct, the assessment found.

Human destruction of habitat is one reason for the loss. But there is a new enemy for which there may be no defense.

In 1998, Karen Lips, a young biologist from Southern Illinois University, helped identify a fungus that seemed to be killing off entire species of amphibians, -snip-

Frogs are considered a good indicator of the health of the Earth. They breathe through permeable skin and live both on land and in water. They likely would be the first type of species to suffer from pollution.

They are also a critical link in the food chain. Lips and her colleagues reported that in one Panamanian region that experienced a massive frog die-off, the snakes that feed on frogs began starving to death. Birds and mammals that eat the frogs there may also be in decline, Lips said.

-snip-

Her findings have triggered a mission to rescue frogs in the path of the fungus, led by Zoo Atlanta's Mendelson and Ron Gagliardo of The Atlanta Botanical Garden. The approach, reminiscent of Noah's Ark, involves capturing enough males and females from each species, and breeding them in captivity, to establish survival colonies.

The hope is this approach can buy enough time for scientists to figure out how to protect frogs from the fungus and reintroduce them safely

[presidio9]

The last time I heard this story, global warming was definitely the cause. Now, it's our encroachment on their habitat. But there's a problem: Humans only occupy a small precentage of the planet. That alone can not be a contributing factor in such a mass extinction. Sounds more like natural selection to me. In which case, we should be minding our own business if we are honest about not interfering with nature.

[RexBeach]

If I were Karen Lips, I'd think about getting a name change.

Beyond that, all I have to say is that we are all DOOMED! Yessiree bob, time to put your head between your legs and kiss the old 'sit-upon" good-bye!

[theDentist]

I'll say it... "Bush's fault". Ultimately, he and all Republicans, shall be blamed anyhow.

[TexasCajun]

Don't blame me, blame these teenage schoolgirls!

[pollyannaish]

This is exactly what I don't understand. The basic premise of environmentalism is flawed when we can not tell the difference between extinction due to human over harvesting/encroachment and natural selection.

We are constantly told not to mess with nature, but they interfere with natural selection on a mass scale.

In any case, it solidifies my belief that most environmentalists (not conservationists) are crackpots in search of a god.

[presidio9]

Right. Either we ARE to blame because of "Global Warming," or we need to get busy minding our own business. It's the nature of the game that most species fail.

[Jaysun]

I noticed no mention of the French.

[bigfootbob]

or Cajuns

[TexasCajun]

Frog Leggs! Hummmmmm......

[joesnuffy]

I believe it...the numbers of frogs these days ..at least leopard frogs is way down from the numbers I remember 40 yrs ago..

[Designer]

"..triggered a mission to rescue frogs.."

Oh, thank God! And none too soon, either!

At least they aren't using our tax dollars to fund this mission. (Whew!)

I dunno, all this talk about lips and frogs and whatnot...

[Beagle8U]

"..at least leopard frogs is way down from the numbers I remember 40 yrs ago.."

The #1 killer of frogs is Raccoons, I think you'll find their numbers have expanded tenfold since the peace-queers waged war on the fur industry.

[myrabach]

I live in rural North Carolina... all the missing frogs are holed up on my property. Trust me, they are ALL here.

[Jaysun]

or Cajuns

Or the toad lickers for that matter. Once the powerful hallucinations begin, many druggies end up stepping on them or mistaking them for a bouncy ball. Very tragic.

[presidio9]

Better?

[Jaysun]

Oh yes, thank you. One might easily mistake him for a toad licker rather than a leg eater.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Frogs are considered a good indicator of the health of the Earth.

[heldmyw]

Someone call Australia! I believe that they are in the midst of a cane toad epidemic (introduced a couple of decades ago) that is killing the local fauna.

I wonder if a bit of fungus might not be the ticket for their problem?

[presidio9]

I believe that they are in the midst of a cane toad epidemic (introduced a couple of decades ago)

The cane toad epidemic is the result of another wonderful attempt by man to modify nature. I believe they were introduced to control the rodent population. Nobody figured they wouldn't only eat the animals we wanted them to eat.