By Rhishja Larson •
September 2, 2009
Despite the world’s dwindling frog populations, the demand for frog meat is increasing. Should a sustainable approach to wild frog harvesting be considered or could frog farming be a viable alternative to harvesting wild frogs?
A study out late last year points out that the overharvesting of wild frog populations for food is contributing to the decline of these important amphibians. Since this worldwide appetite for frog meat shows no signs of slowing down, the authors introduce their idea for sustainable wild frog harvesting as an alternative to unsuccessful attempts at commercial frog farming.
A team of biologists located rare mountain yellow-legged frogs, Rana muscosa, in the San Bernardino National Forest. Two groups of scientists recently spotted the frogs at two separate locations less than three miles apart in the Tahquitz and Willow Creek areas of California.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologist Adam Backlin, who led the team along the Tahquitz Creek area, said, ”If this population is large, it could play an important role in the re-establishment of this species across Southern California.” San Diego Natural History Museum biologists were in the Tahquitz Valley area studying biological changes in the region, when they found a single Rana muscosa in Willow Creek.
By Dave Harcourt •
April 6, 2009
Scientists and veterinarians met in San Diego, in February 2009, to protect amphibian species threatened with extinction by the chytrid fungus. Chytrid is already associated with declines in amphibian populations in Central America and Australia and is spreading quickly in the wild.
The photograph is of the critically endangered Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zetecki) which communicates by waving its hands because, unlike other frogs, it has no eardrums.
Chytridiomycosis (cytrid) is an infectious disease of amphibians, caused by the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a non-hyphal zoosporic fungus. The skin of infected frogs thickens and interferes with its ability to absorb water and electrolytes. Frogs in the wild which are already in danger of extinction from habitat loss, the pet trade, and climate change now face this additional threat.
