Cousteau to speak on amphibian crisis at biology teach conference

The National Association of Biology Teachers, representing thousands of educators who can make future leaders appreciate the importance of threatened amphibians, will host Jean-Michel Cousteau next month in Memphis (Oct. 17, 2008) at the association’s national conference. Mr. Cousteau is a patron of Amphibian Ark. Here he is talking about his personal connection to amphibians and why this planet can’t afford to lose them.

 

Cousteau video on frogs, amphibian crisis, Amphibian Ark

This is a really great, new video of Jean-Michel Cousteau explaining his personal commitment to Amphibian Ark and overviewing the amphibian extinction crisis. Check out the photo of him and his father, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and the frog menagerie that Jean-Michel has in his home office.

Amphibian Ark truly is fortunate to have a dream team of conservationist “celebrities” supporting our cause: Jean-Michel is joined by Sir David Attenborough and Jeff Corwin in lending time and talent to make the world take notice that we are in danger of losing up to half of the world’s 6,000 amphibian species. Note that the video ends with the new 5 for Frogs campaign logo. Hope you will get involved. 

 

Children love frogs

Amphibian Ark received this letter from Sage. Sage example, don’t you think? The child was responding to the Leap Day email that Jean-Michel Cousteau sent on behalf of Amphibian Ark.

 

Biodiversity’s equivalent to IPCC gets grim news report

I did some posts earlier this week about the biodiversity summit in France – which was focused on creating an IPCC-like reporting organization about plant and animal life. Well, a few hours ago, this sobering take on the conference was issued by the publisher of The Daily Telegraph in the UK: “A three-year French-led effort to set up a powerful international scientific body advising on the threats to the variety of life on Earth has ended in embarrassing stalemate.” Fingers are being pointed. But it’s just one story and we’ll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, those who care greatly about the creatures of the earth can be thankful — yes, on the eve of Thanksgiving here in the States — for individuals who don’t wait for large international bodies to reach consensus. I’m thinking about somebody like Jeff Corwin who held up the Panama Golden Frog yesterday on Ellen and asked people to go to Amphibian Ark’s Web site. I think about Sir David Attenborough, Jean-Michel Cousteau, zoo chieftains around the world, researchers in India, Atlanta, Carbondale. People who write blogs about wildlife and conservation.

 Keep going, people.