A series of photography trips has left one of the world’s most visually spectacular frogs in peril. The rare galaxy frog (Melanobatrachus indicus), named because it looks like the cosmos on legs, is disappearing from India’s Western Ghats, with unregulated photography trips being named as the key culprit. Researchers have reported that several of the […]
Tag: amphibians
Think toads are ugly? Think again – as these stunning beauties will change your mind
Who said toads were ugly? If ever one of these much-maligned amphibians was destined to become a prince, then surely one of the stubfoots (or harlequins) from the genus Atelopus of South and Central America could be it, says Stuart Blackman. These startling creatures are every bit as eye-catching as the region’s more celebrated poison […]
The barred owl’s westward migration threatens other species and a whole ecosystem
A new study of nearly 800 barred owls on the West Coast shows the invasive predator feeds on 29 species given special conservation status by federal and state governments. The list includes mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, according to an analysis led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, who describe the wide-ranging pressure […]
Common toad is becoming uncommon in UK, study shows
They are an iconic part of Britain’s natural world, inspiring myths, fairytales and at least one of its most-loved children’s book characters. But the number of toads hopping through British grasslands, forests and gardens has almost halved in a generation. “Vast numbers of toads are being lost every year,” said Silviu Petrovan, a senior researcher […]
Three New Frog Species Discovered as Scientists Trek to Remote Peaks in the Andes Where No Roads Go
Three new types of frogs were discovered during off-road scientific expeditions in the remote cloud-shrouded peaks of the Andes. The secretive amphibians were found between 2021 and 2024 in the Cordillera de Huancabamba mountains of northern Peru—in forests and mountain trails with no road access. The species were recently confirmed and named, and each one […]
Decapitated dolphin found on remote island in North Carolina
Wildlife officials in North Carolina are offering a reward of $20,000 for information about the decapitation of a dolphin on a remote coastal island. The 8ft-long dolphin was initially found, intact, on Lea-Hutaff Island in the state by a member of the public. When staff from the marine mammal stranding team from the University of […]
Global Warming Has Already Made Natural Habitats Unsurvivable for 2% of Amphibians: Study
In a new study, researchers determined that 2%, or 104 amphibian species out of 5,203 species studied, are already experiencing overheating events in their natural habitats. The researchers considered different microhabitats of amphibians, including terrestrial, arboreal and aquatic and compared heat tolerance limits of the animals to the actual daily temperature patterns from the past […]
Scientists hope sequencing genome of tiny ‘functionally extinct’ frog could help save it
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the critically endangered southern corroboree frog – one of Australia’s most threatened amphibians – in hope that the information could be used to aid its recovery. The striking alpine frog, which has distinctive yellow and black markings, is so threatened by disease and the drying of its habitat due […]