The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has declared 2008 the Year of the Frog to mark a major conservation effort to address the amphibian extinction crisis.
Amphibians—frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts—are declining rapidly around the world. More than one-third of all amphibian species are threatened with extinction, with habitat loss and disease being two of the main culprits. Climate change and pollution are also causing amphibian decline.
Amphibians are widely thought to be "canaries in the global coalmine." They live both on land and in water, and absorb oxygen and water through their porous skins, so they may be among the first to suffer from air and water pollution. The decline of this order of animals is worrisome for its own sake. But as sentinels for the rest of us, the amphibian crisis is a grave cause for concern.
Amphibians—frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts—are declining rapidly around the world. More than one-third of all amphibian species are threatened with extinction, with habitat loss and disease being two of the main culprits. Climate change and pollution are also causing amphibian decline.
Amphibians are widely thought to be "canaries in the global coalmine." They live both on land and in water, and absorb oxygen and water through their porous skins, so they may be among the first to suffer from air and water pollution. The decline of this order of animals is worrisome for its own sake. But as sentinels for the rest of us, the amphibian crisis is a grave cause for concern.
