Virus threatens mass extinction of frogs

[Guest guest]

By Paul Eccleston

Last Updated: 1:01pm GMT 01/01/2008

 

 

An international campaign has been launched to help save the world's

amphibians from extinction.

 

Scientists fear the largest mass extinction since the disappearance

of the dinosaurs because of a deadly virus which is sweeping through

populations of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians across

the globe.

 

Amphibians are under threat

Amphibians have thrived for hundreds of millions of years but as many

as half of all species could perish unless a solution is found. The

spread of the parasitic fungus amphibian chytrid, which has proved

deadly for hundreds of amphibian species, may have been made worse by

the effects of global warming. The disease has so far proved

unstoppable in the wild and can kill 80 per cent of native amphibians

within months once it has taken hold.

 

Amphibians are important as an 'indicator species' - similar to

canaries in a coal mine - who serve as a warning when there is

something wrong with the environment. Now 2008 has been designated

Year of the Frog by conservationists to raise awareness of the plight

of amphibians and to raise the funds needed for a concerted worldwide

effort to save them.

 

The Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP) aims to protect the

habitat of the amphibians while at the same time finding answers to

the environmental problems they face.

 

The biggest initiative will be an amphibian version of Noah's Ark

costing an estimated £30m where the most vulnerable species will be

moved into protected areas in zoos, aquariums and other institutions

around the world so their future survival can be guaranteed.

 

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The ambitious rescue plan is being organised by the IUCN/SSC

Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, the IUCN/SSC Amphibian

Specialist Group, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

(WAZA).

 

" Widespread extinction of amphibians would be catastrophic, " said

Jeffrey P. Bonner, chairman of Amphibian Ark and president and CEO of

the St. Louis Zoo.

 

" In addition to their intrinsic value, they offer many benefits and

are a critical part of a healthy world. They play an important role

in the food web as both predator and prey, eating insects which

benefits agriculture and minimizes disease spread. Their skin also

has substances that protect them from some microbes and viruses,

offering promising medical cures for a variety of human diseases.

 

The conservation groups hope the captive management plan will buy

time for the most endangered species which will eventually be

reintroduced back into the wild once the threats they face have been

removed.

 

It is hoped the Year of the Frog campaign will raise awareness of the

crisis among media, educators, corporations, philanthropists and

governments and will generate the funding needed to make the campaign

a success.

 

Sir David Attenborough, who is patron of the campaign, said, " The

global zoo and aquarium community has taken on this challenge with

enthusiasm and is providing appropriate facilities and breeding

grounds within their institutions. But implementation calls for

financial and political support from all parts of the world. Without

an immediate and sustained conservation effort to support captive

management, hundreds of species of these wonderful creatures could

become extinct in our own lifetime. "

 

Amphibians are severely affected by habitat loss, climate change,

pollution and pesticides, introduced species, and over-collection for

food and pets.

 

Jörg Junhold, Ph.D., chair of the Amphibian Ark Year of the Frog

campaign and director of Zoo Leipzig, said: " It is of utmost

importance to raise awareness among national governments, world

media, school educators, corporations, philanthropists, and the

general public about the fragility of amphibians and the enormous

responsibility that each of us has in trying to rescue the amphibians

in danger. "

 

" The outcome of the Amphibian Ark project will be that we will have

saved hundreds if not thousands of species from extinction. We also

will have developed a capacity both within our institutions and

globally to continue to provide amphibian species with care and

protection when needed, formed a true partnership between offsite and

onsite components of conservation, and demonstrated to the world that

zoos and aquariums are essential conservation organizations. "