Did you know that it's estimated that at least one-third of known amphibian species are threatened with extinction? That's why the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has declared 2008 the Year of the Frog, and zoos across the country will be making leaps and bounds toward getting the word out about the crisis and what we can do to help save these species.
We're actively getting involved by: training official Frog Watch volunteers, hosting Year of the Frog Activities all year long, helping internationally at the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center in Panama and more!
We are so dedicated to getting the word out there because the World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimates that at least one-third of known amphibian species are threatened with extinction. While the major culprit has historically been habitat loss and degradation, many of the declines and extinctions previously referred to as "enigmatic" are now being attributed to the rapidly dispersing infectious disease chytridiomycosis ("chytrid"). This fungus is causing population and species extinctions at an alarming rate. Can you imagine if we were about to lose one-third of the world's mammals?
Photos: Danté B. Fenolio/ anotheca images
The combined effect of habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and chytrid cannot be addressed solely in the wild. Captive assurance populations have become the only hope for many species faced with imminent extinction and are an important component of an integrated conservation effort. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, with their demonstrated expertise in endangered species breeding programs, have been called upon to meet this conservation challenge.
The IUCN has classified four amphibians in the U.S. to be critically endangered - the Mississippi gopher frog, the Chiricahua leopard frog, the mountain yellow-legged frog, and the Wyoming toad. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed thirty-seven amphibian species under the Endangered Species Act. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums may be their only hope for survival.
Hear what Jeff Corwin has to say about Year of the Frog below:
