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 […]
Tag: frogs
Colombian tree frog found by Sheffield florist highlights invasive species threat
A tiny tree frog hitchhiking in a bunch of roses to Sheffield from Colombia has inspired a study into invasive species reaching the UK’s shores. Dr Silviu Petrovan, a researcher in the University of Cambridge’s zoology department and a senior author of a paper published today in the journal BioScience, had his interest piqued when […]
From local pond to outback dunny, Australia’s biggest frog count is here – and researchers need your help
They moan, hum, whistle and click, and can be found almost everywhere, from the neighbourhood pond to the most remote outback dunny. From Friday to 17 November, people across the country are encouraged to take part in FrogID week, Australia‘s biggest frog count. The annual event, now in its seventh year, aims to collect thousands […]
Frogs Face Dire Threats from Climate Change and Habitat Loss
A recent study in Nature Climate change reveals alarming news for frog populations worldwide. Due to increasing aridity caused by climate change, scientists predict that by 2080 to 2100, between 7 percent and over one-third of frog habitats may become too dry for survival. If human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, isn’t curtailed, […]
Glue in the face: How frogs’ sticky secretions defend them from attack
Many of us are familiar with the story of The Frog Prince, where a princess kisses a frog, and to her surprise, it transforms into a human prince. In reality, many frog species produce poison in their skin, the effects of which can range from mild nausea to death, so this display of affection is […]
Tiny tropical puddle frogs show that protecting genetic variation is essential for animals to survive the climate crisis
Scientists have studied puddle frogs to identify genetic variation hotspots and places where the climate crisis could wipe out populations too homogenous to adapt. Even widespread species could be genomically vulnerable to the climate crisis, scientists warn. By studying the DNA of puddle frogs living in central African rainforests, the scientists found that areas of […]
Today April 28th is Save the Frogs Day
Your world is busy fast paced and loud, running to catch up with your lives and whatever your crowd. But in the middle of this far and near, we frogs and amphibians are starting to disappear. The croaks and the ribbits the folklore you created… without your help to extinction we are fated. We are […]
Fungus Devastating Frogs on Nearly Every Continent May Have an Achilles Heel–and Scientists Think it Could Save the Amphibians
A pandemic among frogs has been going on worldwide for years—the culprit: a fungal infection that has affected amphibians on nearly every continent. But now, the discovery of a virus that has evolved to replicate inside this fungus could be the key to saving nearly 500 species of frogs that have experienced declines due to […]