In 1876 – the same year that the first telephone call was made – the British scientist Albert Günther described a new species of frog from Sri Lanka, but the species, known as the webless shrub frog (Pseudophilautus hypomelas), was never seen again. Having disappeared into history, scientists considered the species extinct—that is until a […]
Tag: frog
High-living frogs hurt by remote oil roads in the Amazon
Often touted as low-impact, remote oil roads in the Amazon are, in fact, having a large impact on frogs living in flowers in the upper canopy, according to a new paper published in PLOS ONE. In Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park, massive bromeliads grow on tall tropical trees high in the canopy and may contain up […]
2013 Was a Great Year for British Wildlife
Despite some severe concerns about the world’s different species, 2013 actually turned out to be a bumper year for British wildlife. Here’s why, and a look ahead at what 2014 might have in store. An unusually warm summer that ended a spate of six dismal ones helped wildlife up and down the stretch of Britain […]
Sky islands: exploring East Africa’s last frontier
The montane rainforests of East Africa are little-known to the global public. The Amazon and Congo loom much larger in our minds, while the savannas of East Africa remain the iconic ecosystems for the region. However these ancient, biodiverse forests—sitting on the tops of mountains rising from the African savanna—are home to some remarkable species, […]
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is only 25 miles from New York City in Vernon, New Jersey. It’s a great place for a day of strolling and wildlife spotting.There are duck blinds,roads and trails, wildflower fields, and boardwalks over marshes. Wood ducks and eastern bluebirds are some of the wildlife rock stars that breed in […]
New poison dart frog discovered in ‘Lost World’
Scientists have described a new species of poison dart frog after discovering it during a study to determine the impact of tourism on biodiversity in a tract of rainforest known as “The Lost World” in Guyana. The scientists named the frog Allobates amissibilis — in Latin, “that may be lost” — in recognition of its […]
Scientists build app to automatically identify species based on their calls
New technology makes it possible to automatically identify species by their vocalizations. The software and hardware system, detailed in the current issue of the journal PeerJ, has been used at sites in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica to identify frogs, insects, birds, and monkeys. Many of the animals identified by the system are typically difficult […]
Most Popular and Widely-Read Articles in Apr 2013
The purpose of this review is to highlight the most popular and widely-read articles during the previous month. During April our global team of wildlife photographers and authors published 182 articles in promoting the cause of wildlife conservation. First prize goes once again to Adam Riley with Komodo and its Dragons, an article published in […]