Posts Tagged ‘extinct species’

Dinosaurs, Dodos, Quagga & Frogs?

January 22nd, 2010, posted in Educating You

Do our frogs face a future of extinction like the Quagga, Dodo and Dinosaurs? Will future generations pick up fossils, bones and photos of this amphibian species and wonder how we allowed them to die out?

We know a third of  the amphibian species are on the edge of becoming extinct, those trying to make a difference in the frogs survival say about 120 species are already gone!  Yes, yes, many species are still being discovered today, but how many will become extinct before they are found?

painted reed-frog

Frogs play an important part of the food chain, both as predator and prey. Climate change, pollution and the use of harmful pesticides are all contributing factors, but habitat loss and a parasitic fungus (amphibian chytrid ) are the biggest threats.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park has the highest number of frog species in southern Africa. Protected areas like this park are important for the survival of many species.  Urban and rural developments, forestry and agricultural practices are causing rapid losses of habitat.

My challenge to the readers of this blog is to ask people in the tourism industry on game reserves, game farms and game parks what they are doing to conserve the frog species on their property. To those people thinking about setting up a golf course or housing development in a wetland area, stop thinking and change your plans. Take a frogging safari and learn more about them, they are not all gruesome and perhaps we will all contribute to the life of a frog.

 
 
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