Poison dart frog in Tropical Discovery (Denver Zoo) |
As an active member of WAZA, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Denver Zoo is working with other zoos and aquariums to respond to the global extinction crisis facing the world's amphibians. More than 160 species of frog, toad, salamander, and newt likely have become extinct since 1980. Another 500 species have declined too rapidly to stave off extinction without constant and rapid human population management.
As early as 1989 scientists knew that amphibian populations were declining around the world. While many factors behind the extinction of frogs are still not well understood, it is now known that in some parts of the world there is a fungus causing the quick extinction of every species throughout their range. The spread of chytrid fungus cannot be halted in the wild. Frogs that already suffer from the fungus can be cured by veterinarians, but they cannot be returned to the wild because of the certainty of re-infection and death.
ECO-FACT: Approximately 30% of the world’s amphibian species are endangered (1,895 out of 6,285) and greater than 50% are in some peril.
ZOO FACT: Denver Zoo has been working to conserve many charismatic amphibians including Panamanian golden frogs, Lake Titicaca frogs and boreal toads. |
Denver Zoo and other members of WAZA, in cooperation with IUCN (The World Conservation Union), are working together to rescue as many species of frogs and other amphibians as possible. In many cases the only solution is to conserve them in zoos and aquariums with the hope that the species can be returned to the wild later. This will require a massive coordinated effort, but it is a key component in addressing the global amphibian extinction crisis.
For more information about the amphibian extinction crisis and conservation efforts, please visit the following Web sites:
Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG):
www.cbsg.org/
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