More animals join the endangered species list every year –
threatened by various factors and the possibility of joining the dreaded list
of extinct species. We think of extinct
animals, like dinosaurs,
as being gone for good. But what if some
of these animals aren't really gone?
Yellow-Spotted Bell
Frog
Native to Australia, the yellow-spotted bell frog has
supposedly been extinct for about 30 years.
The species was thought to have been wiped out by chytrid fungus – an
ailment that infects the skin, interfering with ability to absorb water and
oxygen.
However, the yellow-spotted bell frog was recently
rediscovered in the rural farmland of New South Wales, Australia. A colony of about 100 of these frogs was
found by a conservation officer looking for another animal.
Officials collected six tadpoles from the location. These were raised and placed in the Taronga
Zoo near Sydney, Australia to help preserve the species.
Hundreds of NEW
Species
The Spanish Scientific Research Council (CSIC) announced in
2009 that between 129 and 221 new species of frogs has been found on the island
of Madagascar. Over the previous 15
years about 100 species had been discovered.
It's amazing to think that despite the sadness of losing
species throughout the world, so many new discoveries are yet to be made. Hopefully, as in the case of the
yellow-spotted bell frog, other "extinct" species are still thriving hidden
away somewhere.
Resources:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35706909/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=extinct-australian-frog-reappears-3-2010-03-04
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=worlds-frogs-disappearing-save-the-2009-04-28
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/05/06/eco.madagascar.frogs/index.html
http://www.fnpw.com.au/ForSupporters/PAWS/enews3/yellow_spotted_bell_frog.jpg
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Re: Froggy Find – Missing Species Returns
