With over 40% at risk of extinction, amphibians are among the most at risk vertebrates in the world. Climate change, habitat loss and disease have a lot to do with it — yet the majority of efforts working to mitigate these threats go towards mammal and bird conservation.
Approximately 2,000 amphibians, including frogs, toads and salamanders, are threatened worldwide. Most of these threatened species can be found in the Caribbean, Mesoamerica, and the forests of Cameroon, Nigeria, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka.
These are their biggest enemies:
Climate Change
Amphibians are highly sensitive to changes in their environment. Rising temperatures and alterations in precipitation patterns are making it harder for these species to adapt. Many amphibians have specific temperature and moisture requirements for breeding and survival, and even slight changes in environmental conditions can disrupt these critical life stages.
Habitat Loss
Agriculture, harvesting, urban development, and pollution are leading causes of amphibian ecosystem loss. Fragmentation of habitat further exacerbates the problem by isolating populations, reducing genetic diversity, and increasing vulnerability to environmental stressors and disease. Today, only one-third of tropical rainforest remains intact.
Disease
Amphibians are facing the world’s worst animal pandemic: chytrid fungus. This fungal disease has caused over 501 species to decline, and another 90 to go extinct. Once contracted, adult amphibians have a hard time balancing in water and their salt levels may experience seizures and eventually death if the infection levels are too high.
Not Enough Funding
Unfortunately, amphibians don’t often top conservation funding priority lists, with most of those spots taken by bird and mammal populations. Insufficient funding impedes any efforts to save amphibians. This shortage hampers vital scientific research, monitoring programs, and habitat restoration efforts crucial for amphibian survival.
Donate to VAKOVAKO to support nonprofits who are investing in the future of critical RAINFOREST amphibian species — and the future.
