Gathering Amphibians into the Ark!

Amphibians have been around the earth for about 350 million years. They were even around during the time dinosaurs roamed the earth! Amphibians include frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians. They have been around so long and we want to keep it that way!

There are many reasons why amphibians are very important to our society, environment, and ecosystem. One of the reasons being that they are good bio-indicators, meaning that they they’re species help monitor the health of an environment or ecosystem and gives us some kind of warning about unsafe environment conditions. They are good bio-indicators because their permeable skin can absorb and concentrate toxins in their fatty tissues, and because they spend their life cycles on land and water!

Amphibians play an important role in the food web, where they are predators for insects, like crickets, flies, mosquitoes, and other insects. If their populations are declining, what happens to insect populations? They increase more! Now, that’s a lot of bugs that can create damage to crops! Other than being predators, they are also abundant food for larger predators, like human beings!  

Lastly, they also help provide vital biomedicines, including antibiotics, stimulants for heart attack victims, analgesics, and other diseases. In addition, the Australian red-eyed tree-frog, and other relatives, gives a compound that is capable of preventing HIV infections and nobody wants that!

You see, amphibians are pretty important in our environment but, there has been research where the IUCN assessed that 32% of amphibian species are threatened with extinction around the world! They found out that 42% of species’ population are declining and possibly more that 120 amphibian species are extinct! Though, amphibian species are more severe in Latin America and the Caribbean?

The map of the world below shows the number of amphibian species that are endangered

 Some that are critically endangered include:

  Southern Corroboree Frog
  Picture from Amphibian Ark

          Lake Titicaca Water Frog
          Picture from Amphibian Ark 

Some of the causes for their near extinction and declining populations are:

·         Global warming

·         New diseases

·         Invasive species

·         Acid rain

·         Habitat loss

·         Climate change

·         UV radiation

·         Chemical contaminants and pollution

What are we suppose to do? How are we supposed to ensure the survival of amphibians? Is it the end for amphibians? No, it’s not!! The Amphibian Ark (AArk) is an organization that is partnered with other organizations like, the World Association of Zoos Aquarium, IUCN, Conservation Breeding Specialists, Amphibian Specialist group and many other partners ensuring the survival of amphibians.

The Aark organization helps:

·         Fundraise money

·         Providing seed grants for projects

·         Raising awareness

·         Helping with research

·         Their Frog MatchMaker helps support amphibian conservation programs

·         Biobanking activities

·         And so much more

For more information visit to www.amphibianark.org

I commented on:

 Valerie Szeto http://valerieszetosblogspot.blogspot.com/2010/10/who-knew-something-tiny-can-cause-such.html#comments

Kendra Geniza http://biobobombs.blogspot.com/2010/10/topic-1-positive-human-intervention.html#comments

Work Cited

 Amphibia Web. “Worldwide Amphibian Declines: How Big is the Problem, What are the causes and waht can be done?” 22 January 2009. 10 October 2010.
     < http://amphibiaweb.org/declines/declines.html >

Amphibians Ark. “The Crisis.” n.d 10 October 2010.
     < http://www.amphibianark.org/the-crisis/ >

Center for Global Environmental Education. “Amphibian Facts.” n.d. 9 October 2010.
     < http://www.hamline.edu/cgee/frogs/science/frogfact.html >

The Amphibian Project. “About the Crisis.” n.d. 9 October 2010.
     < http://www.helpafrog.org/crisis.htm >