Thousands of invasive toads are about to be killed by Australian locals as the annual Great Cane Toad Bust kicks off, with experts urging participants to euthanize the amphibians humanely using the “cool-and-freeze” method. The Bust, organized by environmental group Watergum, is due to start on January 13 and will last a week. Australian residents […]
Tag: amphibians
Study shows dire outlook for amphibians: 40% threatened with extinction
The Tepequém frog (Anomaloglossus tepequem) used to be seen in abundance in streams in the Serra do Tepequém, in the state of Roraima. Endemic to Brazil and this specific locality, found only here and nowhere else on the planet, it is believed to have disappeared from the wild. This Amazonian species has never been seen […]
Frogs’ Fluorescence May Be a Way of Communicating
Once thought to be a rare occurrence among terrestrial animals, fluorescence is more widespread than scientists once thought. Frogs’ fluorescence was first discovered in 2017. Before that, scientists were not aware that some of these amphibians were biofluorescent. Biofluorescence has to do with light wavelengths. According to a report published in the scientific journal Nature, […]
A New Breakthrough in Combating the Deadliest Frog Disease
You may not have heard of this ‘panzootic,’ a pandemic ravaging the animal kingdom. Over the last four decades, Chytridiomycosis, popularly known as ‘chytrid’, has decimated global frog populations, driving over 500 species towards decline and causing 90 extinctions, making it the most lethal known animal disease. Chytrid, an amphibian fungal disease originating in Asia, […]
It’s a croc eat croc world: Moment crocodile clamps its teeth down on younger reptile in shocking two-hour attack
his is the shocking moment a crocodile tries to devour another helpless croc. Photographer Anne-Marie Scheepers, 52, took the pictures while visiting Kruger National Park in South Africa. The photos show a crocodile clamping its teeth down and shaking the smaller croc. The attack happened over the space of two hours. Scheepers, from Johannesburg, said […]
4 Things About Red-Eared Slider Turtles You Likely Haven’t Heard Of
There are over two hundred different species of sliders, and most of them reside in the Americas. These turtles are recognizably different from one another, with some having red or orange markings on their shells and heads. In this blog post, we will explore four things you likely haven’t heard of about red-eared sliders. From […]
In Nepal, a turtle that rose from the dead makes another grand entrance
KATHMANDU — In 2002, the black softshell turtle was declared extinct in the wild — not a difficult assessment to make, given that, back then, the only known population of the species was in a pond at a Sufi shrine in Bangladesh. It beat that rap when, that same year, researchers found the animals in […]
Earth’s Wildlife Is In Trouble, But How Bad Is It?
Our planet’s wildlife is in danger. Each year, hundreds of species go extinct. But those are just the species we know about. Scientists don’t know exactly how dire the situation is for all life on Earth. Most countries lack national monitoring systems, making it difficult to reach a comprehensive figure. So, it’s difficult to count […]