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We are on the verge of losing much of an entire vertebrate class and the window of opportunity to stem the extinctions is closing.
WAZA and CBSG are working closely with the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group to develop and implement a globally coordinated conservation response, and have formed the Amphibian Ark to help the ex situ community address the captive components of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan, saving as many species as possible by providing global coordination, technical guidance, training, necessary linkages to other IUCN groups, communications, and guiding publicity and capital campaigns.
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Photo: Michael McFadden |
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The IUCN's recent Global Amphibian Assessment highlighted a trend that has become increasingly apparent: amphibians are facing great threats. About a third of all amphibian species are threatened with extinction, 122 species have likely become extinct since 1980, and 435 species have declined into a category of greater threat during that time. Whole species groups are being decimated, and we have already lost a unique reproductive strategy with the extinction of the two species of gastric brooding frogs. Compounding the well known problems of habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, a new disease (chytridiomycosis) has decimated frog populations and caused extinctions in Central America and Australia.
If the chytrid fungus reaches other centers of amphibian diversity and has similar impacts, and if destruction of wetland habitats continues unabated, we could lose much of an entire class of vertebrates, with unknown but potentially devastating ramifications for ecological communities around the world. At this time, there is no known method to stop the spread of the chytrid fungus, nor to treat wild amphibian populations that are infected. Several groups have noted with alarm that perhaps the only way to safeguard hundreds of species of amphibians until we find methods for prevention or treatment of chytridiomycosis is to bring species into ex situ facilities.
In terms of the numbers of species that could face extinction, the imminent nature of the declines, the impacts on ecological communities, and the critical role that ex situ efforts must fill, the amphibian extinction crisis is perhaps the most important species conservation challenge ever faced by the ex situ community.
 The Amphibian Ark
CBSG - Amphibians decline, the conservation community responds!
WAZA - Building an Amphibian Ark
Global Amphibian Assessment
Perth Zoo's Amphibian Research and Breeding Program
Auckland Zoo's Carter Holt Harvey Native Frog Research Centre
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