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Amphibian Population Declines

Nearly one third of the 6.582 species of amphibians are threatened, endangered, or extinct. The reasons are multifaceded, stemming from everything from disease to climate change and pollution.

Perhaps the biggest cause of amphibian declines worldwide is the spread of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Originating from Africa, this chytrid fungus

Why you should care. Amphibians are a vital and beautiful part of the natural world. A chorus of frogs can make an entire landscape, giving life to the lonliest nights.

But even if you aren't moved by the intrinsic value of amphibians, there are selfish reasons to want amphibians to stick around. First of all, we humans can directly benefit from aphibians. For instance, chemical derived from poison frog toxin is now being developed as potentially the most effective pain releiver in the world.

The lungless salamander Bolitoglossa sima is under decline from habitat degredation and fragmentation.
The Awa rocket frog, Hyloxalus awa, is threatened by habitat destruction from logging and agriculture, as well as a historically small geographic range.
Since it is only known from two populations -- one of which we disccovered -- the Mache glass frog (Cochranella mache) is especially suseptible to many causes of declines.
The females of the Riobama marsupial frog (Gastrotheca riobambae) carry eggs in a pouch on their backs until they hatch. Once abundant throughout the large city of Ecuador, its populations have been decimated through habitat destruction and climate change.

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