The world’s frogs, salamanders, newts and other amphibians remain in serious trouble
FILE - A researcher holds a Coqui Guajon or Rock Frog at a tropical forest in Patillas, Puerto Rico on March 21, 2013. A study published Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in the journal Nature has found that amphibians are the world’s most threatened group of vertebrate species. A new global assessment has found that 41% of amphibian species that scientists have studied are threatened with extinction, meaning they are either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
They are also at risk because of their delicate skin. Most amphibians absorb oxygen to breathe through their skin, and so they do not have scales, feathers or fur to protect them. Chemical pollution, bacteria and fungal infections impact them quickly, as do heightened swings in temperature and moisture levels due to climate change.
The study identified the greatest concentrations of threatened amphibian species in several biodiversity hotspots, including the Caribbean islands, the tropical Andes, Madagascar and Sri Lanka. Other locations with large numbers of threatened amphibians include Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, southern China and the southeastern United States.The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Amphibians are the world's most vulnerable species and threats are increasingThe world’s frogs, salamanders, newts and other amphibians remain in serious trouble.
Read more »
Amphibians are the world's most vulnerable species and threats are increasingThe world’s frogs, salamanders, newts and other amphibians remain in serious trouble. A new global assessment has found that 41% of amphibians that scientists have studied are threatened with extinction, meaning they are either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
Read more »
Protecting lands slows biodiversity loss among vertebrates by five timesProtecting large swaths of Earth's land can help stem the tide of biodiversity loss -- especially when those protected areas are in less disturbed landscapes and in countries with effective national governance. A new study looked at how amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds fared in protected versus unprotected areas worldwide. Vertebrate abundance decreased five times more slowly inside protected areas, offering much-needed support for the United Nations' '30 by 30' conservation initiative.
Read more »
Leave The World Behind Trailer: Julia Roberts & Ethan Hawke Watch The World Collapse In Netflix ThrillerLeave the World Behind hits Netflix December 8.
Read more »
Historic vault: Simone Biles lands Yurchenko double pikeSimone Biles was competing at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship over the weekend
Read more »