An article in the Telegraph.Co.UK written yesterday by Paul Eccleston indicates the following special alert for us all! This is serious stuff folks!
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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 disease which is sweeping through populations of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians across the globe.
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.
“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.
Scientists fear the largest mass extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs because of a deadly disease which is sweeping through populations of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians across the globe.
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.
“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.
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Here is another article written by Kevin Zippel, who is the the program officer for the Amphibian Ark.
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) has joined with the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) and ASG to form the Amphibian Ark, or AArk for short. The AArk vision is the world’s amphibians safe in nature. Its mission is to work with partners to ensure the global survival of amphibians, focusing on those that cannot be safeguarded in nature.
5 comments:
There is a pond right below my house. In late winter and early spring the little frogs serenade us at night.
All spring & summer we find these cute little guys (and gals) hopping around on our lawn!
Also, not to make light of the problem that is illuminated by this thread, but doesn't Jabba the Hutt - a character in the Star Wars films - resemble a giant toad?
Did you know that the word, "zhaba" in Russian means toad?
-Mammoth
That's a great story Mammoth! You're lucky to be surrounded by nature where you live.
I put food and water out for the birds and squirrels every day. They bring me such peace and joy! :)
Yeah you're right, Jabba does look like a toad. They had to have derived Jabba from Zhaba. Wow, I just learned something new. Thanks for that bit of info!
Thank goodness for people like you around the World who provide a safe and natural habitat for these little critters.
You may be the only hope left for the remaining 20% of this species outside of the contained zoo environment.
Part of this comes from having the attitude that we are merely temporarily RESIDING on this Earth, rather than OWNING it forever. We are the Earth’s caretakers. And part is just common sense – you shouldn’t spoil your environment. Duh!
However, I do mow the lawn surrounding the house, but try to keep an eye out for the little froggies as I push the mower.
We also feed the birds – and here is a tip for you: Buy one of those suet-cages that they sell in the stores, but don’t buy those expensive suet cakes they sell. When cooking meat, save the fat.
Also, cut off and save the bottoms of your used plastic containers to a “bowl” no more than 1” high. (These can be from soda bottles, mayonnaise jars, etc.) Now, melt the fat in a microwave oven, put a few tablespoons of birdseed in the “bowl,” and pour in the fat. Stir a few times as it hardens, in order to evenly distribute the seeds.
Securely attach the suet cage to a tree (don’t just hang it on a nail – it WILL disappear!) and place the home-made suet cake inside. Then sit back and watch the action!
Mammoth
P.S. toad = жаба
"Generosity is not giving me that which I need more than you do, but it is giving me that which you need more than I do."
written by Kahlil Gibran
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