Twycross Zoo Jumps to save frogs

3:33pm Wednesday 27th February 2008

Twycross Zoo staff have jumped into action this leap year to raise awareness of the plight of the frogs worldwide; a deadly fungus is killing them!

Amphibians (frogs, toads and newts) are severely affected by habitat loss, climate change, pollution and pesticides, introduced species, and over-collection for food and pets. While habitat destruction is the major threat, the most immediate threat is a parasitic fungus called amphibian chytrid, a disease that is deadly to hundreds of amphibian species and has quickly spread from Africa across the planet over the past 30-40 years. Global climate change is believed to have made the problem worse. The amphibian chytrid was discovered about ten years ago and since then dozens of frog species have become extinct because of it.

Since the 1930s, African clawed frogs (likely resistant carriers of the fungus) have been shipped around the world in their thousands for human pregnancy tests and lab studies, spreading the disease worldwide. Recently, the food and pet trade may have contributed to the problem as well. Amphibian chytrid is currently unstoppable and untreatable in the wild, even in protected areas. In the environments where it thrives, a high percentage of UK species will be susceptible, leading to widespread amphibian extinctions when the fungus hits the UK.

After thriving for over 360 million years, one third to half of the world's approximately 6,000 known frogs, toads and salamanders could become extinct in our lifetime. Earth is facing the single largest mass extinction since the disappearance of dinosaurs.

So, what can we do to help? For those animal species that cannot be saved in nature, the plan is to rescue them before they are gone, and to protect them in captive facilities until the threats to the wild populations can be controlled. Twycross Zoo is one of many Zoos worldwide that is taking part in the Amphibian Ark Campaign. The Ark plan is simple but requires at least £25 million in funding. An example of where funds may be distributed to is the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Centre. Recently, Twycross Zoo donated funds to this centre in South America; the aim of this centre is to provide a safe haven for amphibians until the chytrid fungus has passed. During 2008, Twycross Zoo is aiming to raise funds to go towards the cause by, organising children's colouring activities along with an exhibition of the frogs' life cycles in the Zoo Centre. Alternatively you can contact our Conservation Officer Mrs Claire Pipe on 01827 880 988 or email conservation@twycrosszoo.org

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