Atelopus information
More information about the Atelopus species
This group of animals consist of about 110 species of which many is dying out.
An example of the specie that probably is most threatened right at this point when this is written is A. zeteki (the golden frog or rana dorada) from Panama.
Some facts about Chytrid:
Zoos around the world collects amphibians in their attempt to protect them from extinction from the deadly fungus chytridomyscosis that is spreading all around the world. Their plan is to protect them in captivity until the fungus can be stopped.
The rapid loss of amphibians and particularly many species of frogs is a growing threat due to the chytrid fungus that interferes with the amphibians skin functions such as water and gas exchange. Typically the infected animal die from dehydration.
The fungus is believed to come from Africa and the clawed frog, which is immune to the fungus but carries it on its skin.
More facts:
43 percent of the worlds nearly 6000 species of amphibians are in decline. Of this is about 32 threatened. More than 120 species have gone extinct since 1980. This rapid loss of frog species has been compared to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Frogs are important to the ecosystem because they eat insects and are in turn eaten by fish, raccoons, skunks and birds. Perhaps even more importantly, they serve as an early warning system for potential ecological disasters. We have to deal with this problems now and find some kind of longterm solution!