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FRA Press: Racing a deadly fungus, scientists bag hundreds of frogs

J

joan

Guest
Ian, if the newts have it, they'll probably be dead before they make it to the pet stores.
 
E

edward

Guest
Joan,

Chytrid is already in the pet stores and has been there for at least 5 years. It has been detected on amphibians at a buch of importers and wholesalers.

Ed
 
I

ian

Guest
I am really getting scared. cause my newt is keep shedding skin. I just hope that is not it. I hope I get to read more about Chytrid. Actually, how long can an amphibian animal live after getting Chytrid?

(Message edited by achiinto on June 16, 2006)
 
E

edward

Guest
from frognet on the original post that started this thread.

snip" Hi folks,
The article that appeared in the NY Times on June 6 was mentioned a
couple of weeks ago on FrogNet. While the story did a good job of
bringing the amphibian crisis to the public, I thought it might be a
good idea to clarify a few things that were perhaps not so clear in
this particular piece. This was essentially an experimental, pilot
study to determine just what action could be taken in response
catastrophic event (such as in this case, the invasion of chytrid
fungus.) to preserve critically endangered species predicted to by
wiped out. It was fully sanctioned by the Panamanian authorities.
We made 3 separate exports all in 2005, yes, using insulated luggage
carriers, but as not made too clear in the article, with FULL written
permission of Panama AND our airline carriers. The results include
not only having assurance colonies of several rare endemic amphibian
species safely in captivity but more importantly the development of a
model that could be adopted in the future to other places around the
globe.

Of course, setting up this type of captive breeding operation would
be best done in country but in late 2004 and through 2005, there
simply was no place in Panama to carry this out, hence the export.
However, as part of the project we still promoted the idea of doing
this work in Panama. This is where the Houston Zoo has stepped up to
the plate and recently completed the El Valle Amphibian Conservation
Center at the El Nispero Zoo in El Valle, Panama. At this moment a
massive rescue operation is underway in El Valle, where sites teeming
with endemic amphibians only one year ago are now littered with dying
frogs infected with chytrid! We just returned from El Valle and saw
this with our own eyes. It's very depressing and for once, we hoped
that the "prediction" was wrong! However, is was not and dead frogs
are found daily, but a rescue effort is well underway. The Houston
Zoo is coordinating this effort with support from other Zoos,
Aquariums and others. Contributions of labor, supplies and funds are
still needed and anyone inclined to assist should contact Paul Crump
at the Houston Zoo. In the meantime, for further information on the
program, please visit www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/site/
conservation/amphibian_research#partnership, www.zooatlanta.org or
www.houstonzoo.org/Golden_Frogs.aqf

We feel that while captive breeding may be an important tool in the
"preservation" of species, it is by no means the ONLY way to do so
but in the situation where habitat protection or control of other
threats (disease, contaminants, climate change, over-harvest, etc.)
is not effective, there is little hope for some species. Of course,
on a global scale, creating "Noah's Arks" for all critically
threatened species seems insurmountable but we can attempt to give a
few species a little lien on life while other researchers continue to
attack the various threats affecting amphibians. Taking action
against global amphibian declines is a huge issue requiring massive,
coordinated efforts supporting various areas of research and new
approaches to conservation as we know it. The upcoming July 7 issue
of the journal Science will have a summary piece on this subject for
those interested.


Thanks for your time.
Best,
Ron Gagliardo, Atlanta Botanical Garden
Joe Mendelson, Zoo Atlanta"endsnip

Ed
 
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