Friday, October 15, 2004
The frogs always go first
Amphibians are experiencing a precipitous decline across the globe, according to the first comprehensive world survey of the creatures, which include frogs, toads and salamanders. As many as 122 species have disappeared since 1980, and 1,900 are in danger of becoming extinct.
The rapid drop -- the equivalent of tens of thousands of years' worth of extinctions in just a century -- is being caused by a range of factors that include deforestation, pollution, habitat loss and climate change, researchers said. But they added that the phenomenon also tells a disturbing tale of broad environmental degradation that may ultimately threaten humans and other animals, as well. Amphibians are often considered "canaries in the coal mine" because their permeable skin makes them especially sensitive to environmental changes.
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The survey found that 32 percent of all amphibian species face extinction, compared with 12 percent of bird species and 23 percent of mammal species. The three-year $1.5 million study, which involved more than 500 scientists from more than 60 countries, is being published today in the journal Science.
More.
posted by chris at 1:47 PM
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