Here’s a guest article by Kevin Zippel, program director for Amphibian Ark. He’s the guy who controls the operational rudder of Amphibian Ark, helping to coordinate amphibian rescue efforts of conservation groups around the world. The impetus for this article is that the Public Library of Science asked him to comment on a recently published paper in PLoS Biology (The Challenge of Conserving Amphibian Megadiversity in Madagascar):

“We are at a unique point in the history of the planet. This is not the first time one group of organisms has brought on a mass extinction event. One can look, for example, to the “oxygen holocaust” created by the first photosynthetic bacteria when the earth was half its current age. But this is the first time it is being done by organisms who, “by the power of a glorious evolutionary accident called intelligence,” quipped Gould, comprehend the impact of their actions. We can either continue utilizing the short-term survival instincts that served us well in the past but are now maladaptive—growing our population exponentially and consuming the planet’s precious resources unsustainably, jeopardizing biodiversity, entire ecosystems, and the earth’s very ability to support life—or we can use our intellect to reveal long-term survival instincts, looking beyond our immediate desires to consider our long-term needs, voluntarily limiting our growth and consumption and so becoming responsible stewards of all life on earth.

“In terms of biodiversity loss, nowhere is this issue more poignant than with the Amphibia (Stuart et al. 2004). Of the ~6000 described species, 32% are threatened with extinction, likely in our lifetimes. Another 23% are so poorly known, and likely also threatened, that we can only call them Data Deficient. And with estimates of another 3000-6000 undescribed amphibian species so rare as to have avoided our detection to date, the anticipated losses in this single clade are staggering, on par with those faced by the Dinosauria 65 million years ago, an event the amphibians survived. Recent estimates suggest that the background extinction rate amphibians currently face is, on the conservative end, 200-2700 times higher than anything they have seen in their 360-million-year history (Roelants et al. 2007), and perhaps as much as 25-45 thousand times higher (McCallum 2007). This is the greatest extinction event in the history of amphibians and the greatest taxon-specific conservation challenge in the history of humanity.

“And in terms of hotspots of amphibian diversity, the new study published in PLoS Biology today by Andreone et al. rightly focus on the significance and uniqueness of the Malagasy amphibian fauna. Habitat destruction and global warming are already straining Malagasy amphibians. And with a susceptibility of at least some Malagasy amphibians to the chytrid fungus, Bd, in captivity (pers. obs.), this precious jewel of biodiversity is an open Petri dish waiting for the first spore to land. Thus the call of Andreone et al. for conservation action that is “pro-active, rather than reactive, or simply post-mortem” could not be more timely or wise. We have watched Bd impacting amphibians on every continent where they are found, and in almost every case, even when we knew where it was going and when, our response has been a salvage operation after the outbreak because we lacked the timely resources to do otherwise. This is unconscionable and unethical. As responsible stewards we must act now to safeguard biophilic havens like Madagascar, protecting key habitat areas and safeguarding in captivity those species that would otherwise succumb to threats that cannot be controlled in the wild. ACSAM is the recipe for how to proceed.

“Although as individuals we lack the money to effect the requisite changes called for by Andreone et al., we have something more powerful than money—a vote. We must demand action from the governments of the world, to support addressing this conservation crisis and all environmental ills. And if they refuse, then we must use our vote to replace them with someone who will respond appropriately. There is no political issue more paramount that protecting the future of all life on earth. The current amphibian extinction crisis in the perfect test: if we cannot perform an act so simple as saving the frogs, then what hope do we have for ourselves? Like the frogs of Madagascar, we have only one home, we are endemic to planet earth. It is time for us to start using our superior intellect for the long-term benefit of the world, of ourselves. Onward!” (Article courtesy of PLoS.)

April 30 /PRNewswire / — While trekking through a remote rainforest in Omar Torrijos National Park in central Panama for the upcoming Animal Planet documentary THE VANISHING FROG, wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin, along with biologists Bill Konstant and Edgardo Griffith of the Houston Zoo, uncovered a small population of a critically endangered frog species that scientists feared had disappeared from the wild. The frogs belong to the genus Atelopus, commonly known as Harlequin frogs. The species in question is Atelopus varius, which is one of two species of golden frogs native to Panama, both of which are on the path to extinction in the wild. The specimens in question were found after an exhaustive search of a remote mountain river where the species was formerly found in great numbers just a few years ago. The specimens discovered on April 6, 2008, included a sub-adult which indicates the species still survives in an area where entire populations of amphibians have been wiped out by a deadly fungus.

THE VANISHING FROG is a joint project of Animal Planet and Clorox, which have joined forces to focus worldwide attention on the deadly fungus which is destroying frogs and other amphibian populations around the world. The film is slated to premiere this fall and sends Corwin on a worldwide mission to uncover clues to the frogs’ deadly plight. The crew was filming work of Amphibian Ark, a global alliance dedicated to saving amphibians that cannot be saved in the wild, at the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center in Panama. The Houston Zoo, along with dozens of other educational institutions, universities, zoos and aquariums in partnership with the AZA, are conducting a last-ditch rescue mission and captive breeding program for Panamanian frogs, toads and salamanders at the Center.

“Some in the scientific community consider this species to be extinct in the wild,” a thrilled Corwin beams. “With this rare discovery, it gives us hope that all is not lost in the battle to save this amphibian and others. But it does urgently underscore the importance of this work and emphasizes how fast and nimble we need to be in drawing attention to this global amphibian crisis.”

“This discovery of additional animals from this population nearing extinction is very significant,” added Dr. Kevin Zippel, program director with Amphibian Ark, a global alliance dedicated to saving amphibians that cannot be saved in the wild. “The golden frogs collected by Jeff and the team will be founders for a captive breeding population. Snatched from the jaws of extinction, these animals and their descendants might someday be used to re-establish golden frogs in Panama, assuming threats in the wild can be mitigated.”

The leading cause of amphibian extinction is habitat destruction, but a deadly fungus known as chytrid has led to a dramatic increase in the rate of extinction especially in Panama, Costa Rica and other Central American countries. Additional factors include climate change, environmental degradation, and unsustainable exploitation of wildlife.

Last fall, Clorox, whose namesake bleach* is used to kill the fungus in captive breeding facilities and disinfect field equipment in the battle to save frogs, became the first corporate sponsor of the “Year of the Frog” and signed on to THE VANISHING FROG project while it was still in development. In addition, Clorox is providing funding to complete the construction of a visitors and education center at the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world’s only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment.

New, very informative and fast-paced videos about the amphibian crisis have been produced by KQED of San Francisco. One of them is even a quiz to test your noggin about froggin. Links are below. Here’s the description: Around the world, frogs are declining at an alarming rate due to threats like pollution, disease and climate change. Frogs bridge the gap between water and land habitats, making them the first indicators of ecosystem changes. Meet the Bay Area researchers working to protect frogs across the state and across the world.

Here’s the full report.

Here’s a great video quiz – see if you really know your frogs.

Thought you would find this interesting. The blog “SteptoLife: Wael’s Adventures in Panama” ran an English translation of a local media report on Jeff Corwin’s visit to Panama as he was shooting an amphibian documentary (it appears):

Panamá, Friday April 10 2008

Golden frog may escape extinction

“We could be witnessing the greatest extinction since the dinosaurs,” explained Jeff Corwin, host of the popular television show “Animal Planet.” Corwin was in Panama to film the first leg of a research project that will take him South America, Africa and Australia as well.

Corwin is investigating the massive and somewhat sudden extinction of amphibians around the world, specifically frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. Panama has not been spared the disappearance of these sensitive and wonderful creatures. The golden frog, the country’s most well known amphibian, recognized worldwide for its extraordinary beauty, is on the verge of disappearing.

The species has suffered from deforestation and urbanization, but the principal cause of its demise is an aquatic fungus that adheres to its skin, asphyxiating and dehydrating the tiny creature.

The odds of anyone finding the endemic species where Corwin and his knowledgeable guide and colleague, Edgardo Griffith, director of the Centro de Conservación de Anfibios El Níspero, went looking for them, were miniscule. The frog was believed to be extinct in the area.

“A few years ago I was doing a show in the extraordinary region of Darién,” Corwin said, “and we discovered some spectacular species of frogs. Three years later, when I went back to the region to document them, we travelled all over the area and weren’t able to find any.”

Yet to their astonishment, in the town of Copé in the province of Coclé, they found 15 adolescent frogs accompanied by an adult.

The golden frog will be featured in Corwin’s forthcoming documentary, “The Vanishing Frog.”

I had heard that these Animal Planet fellows were here in town. A few young American expats here (children of the Blume family) went with them on their expedition to the Darién, and returned vowing never to do it again.

That’s great news about the the symbol of El Vallé - the golden frog. I have noticed a dramatic reduction in the number and variety of frogs here in El Vallé, and I understand that many species in the wild have disappeared altogether. Hang in there, rana dorada! Fight the fungus that be!

P.S. Prensa.com’s English-language supplement can be found here:

http://prensa.com/hoy/herald.shtml

Congratulations to Vancouver Aquarium for this fantastic “save the frogs” poster.

Amphibian Ark, a global conservation organization created to raise awareness and rally fundraising to protect endangered amphibian species, announced last week the commencement of its 5 for Frogs campaign. 5 for Frogs is a grassroots crusade with the goal of raising $500,000 to save five endangered species in five months.

The ”pay it forward” spirit behind 5 for Frogs asks kids and adults to do something to help frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians through acts of kindness involving the number 5. It could be as simple as someone telling or emailing five people about the looming mass extinction of amphibians. Or, it could be holding a charity car wash or selling cookies to raise $5, $50, or even $500 for Amphibian Ark to allocate to rescue projects. If thousands get involved, each can play a part in saving five or more species from extinction. Fifty ideas for getting involved in 5 for Frogs are listed on the Amphibian Ark Web site at www.amphibianark.org.

The May kickoff of 5 for Frogs started with a U.S. national FrogWatch on May 3 involving hundreds of students who will monitor the environmental health status of amphibians in their communities through a cooperative effort organized by the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) and the National Wildlife Federation. FrogWatch is a volunteer-based program that encourages everyone to help by getting outdoors and monitoring local wetlands for breeding frogs and toads.

“Not since the disappearance of the dinosaurs have we seen an extinction of this magnitude,” said Jean-Michele Cousteau, supporter of Amphibian Ark and founder of the Oceans Future Society. “Because amphibians are the first to feel the effects of environmental stressors that could ultimately harm humans, and they play a critical role in our ecosystem, the time to act is now.”

In addition to the grassroots activities, 5 for Frogs will feature several global, special events throughout the summer. Five species of amphibians that have not yet been given common names will have their naming rights auctioned, with proceeds earmarked for Amphibian Ark. And, an endangered Mexican species, the Large-crested toad, received special visibility on Cinco de Mayo, celebrated, of course, on the fifth day of the fifth month.

 “It costs only $100,000 to save one species of amphibians, which is a relatively low cost for avoiding extinction,” said Jeff Corwin, supporter of Amphibian Ark and host of The Discovery Network’s Animal Planet. “The Year 2008 has been dubbed The Year of the Frogs by conservationists from around the world to highlight the amphibian crisis and to save the most endangered species from extinction. As a result, the 5 for Frogs campaign could not come at a better time in an attempt to channel these efforts.”

Amphibian Ark is a partnership between the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, and IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. It was formed to develop, promote, and guide short term captive management of threatened amphibians, making possible the long-term survival of species for which adequate protection in the wild is not currently possible. To learn more about Amphibian Ark, the 5 for Frogs campaign, and to review 50 inspirational and creative ways to raise funds for amphibians, please visit www.amphibianark.org.

Saturday’s FrogWatch event organized by the National Wildlife Federation and supported by the National Association of Biology Teachers got a good writeup in the Chicago Tribune today. I learned in the story that the volunteer frog watchers in Illinois helped find a species that was believed to have disappeared from the Midwest. Excerpt:

He credits the frog monitors with alerting environmentalists to the disappearance — and apparent re-emergence — of cricket frogs in northern Illinois. Within the past few years, the monitors have discovered cricket frogs despite prior reports that they had vanished from the Midwest.

“There’s nowhere near enough professional biologists to collect that data,” Redmer said. “The volunteers are contributing a huge amount of their time to this.”

On Tuesday, the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, will shoot a new commercial touting its new frog exhibit, the Frog Bog. Read this story to learn which “lucky” girl won out over 150 others to be the one who kisses the frog. Recently, a real German princess kissed a frog at the Leipzig Zoo, and before that we had frog kissings reported in Australia.

Every once in a while I search for new information about the quest to establish a research powerhouse behind biodiversity that can do for threatened species what Al Gore and the IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) have done for global warming.  I came across a February report from the people who one day will launch that equivalent, which will be known as the International Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity, or IMoSEB. You can download the slide presentation here.

There has been a three-year process of international meetings to pave the way for IMoSEB, and now it’s time for governments to populate the group and take it to the next level. Gaining international agreement on how to protect biodiversity is clearly a daunting task.

One of the slides mentions that IMoSEB will need to have “the capacity to identify and respond rapidly to biodiversty-related emergencies.” Until that day, NGOs like those that formed Amphibian Ark are going to have to go it largely alone. There is no greater biodiversity crisis than the one facing amphibians.

Preserving the diversity of amphibian wildlife can’t wait for the governments to step in and fix the problem. By then, the problem is going to only be more formidable. We all have to act now. It starts with getting familiar with the problem and pledging to be a force for good. The first step is to visit www.amphibianark.org.

If you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo and care about Mexican wildlife, you need to read this. About $17,000 is all that prevents the Large-crested Toad of Mexico (Bufo cristatus, also recently reclassified as Ollotis cristata) from being saved. The species is hanging on by a thread — it is critically endangered – but there is a plan to save it at the Africam Safari Zoo in Puebla, Mexico. About $50,000 was needed for the facility and staff to harvest the species and start a breeding program to get it back to a population that one day can be returned to the wild. The good news is that the people behind “The Amphibian Project” have raised all but $17,000 of the goal amount. The Amphibian Project works in cooperation with Amphibian Ark.

There can be a happy ending for the Cinco de Mayo toad if an angel philanthropist writes a big check or if hundreds of you write smaller ones. Here’s how to donate:

Donate here.

Here’s more background from The Amphibian Project:

The Amphibian Project is working to save one of the world’s most endangered amphibians – the Large-crested Toad – from extinction.  Working in collaboration with teachers, students, and communities, we are actually saving this species from extinction through a few simple actions.   

The Amphibian Project is a collaboration between five conservation professionals brought together by the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program working to save one threatened species of frog from extinction. The Amphibian Project Team is supporting Amphibian Ark to raise funds for and awareness of the global amphibian extinction crisis. 

Africam Safari is bringing new hope to the Large-crested Toad.  With your help, they will design and carry out a comprehensive campaign to save the toad.  Your funds will help build a biosecure facility to house and breed the toads until they can be safely released back into their natural habitat.  To determine the scope and impact of chytrid in wild amphibian populations, the zoo will closely coordinate monitoring efforts with experts at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. While caring for the toads in captivity, Africam Safari has partnered with Naturalia, a non-profit organization, to restore degraded lands to suitable habitat for the toad.  The zoo will additionally provide local communities with a number of economic alternatives to deforestation to help prevent further toad habitat loss.  These habitats will provide a home for wild toads as well as for future releases of captively reared toads.  Africam Safari will accompany these activities with an extensive amphibian education program at the zoo to raise awareness about the amphibian crisis and the Large-crested Toad in particular. The animals in captivity will provide much-needed information on this species’ biology, an essential educational tool for local communities, and most importantly - a source of healthy toads for future reintroductions into the wild.