Fish and Amphibians

A species of frog endemic to the Pacific Northwest faces a 50 per cent increase in the probability of extinction by the 2080s due to climate change, according to a new study published by SFU researchers in the Ecological Society of America . The mountain-dwelling Cascades frog thrives in extreme climatic conditions, ranging from dozens of feet of snow in winter to temperatures in excess of 90°F in summer. Cascades frogs are explosive breeders and their role as predators of flying insects is critical to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. SFU biologist Wendy Palen, along with co-authors Mike Adams of the United States Geological Survey and Maureen Ryan and Amanda Kissel of Conservation Science Partners, set out to understand the effects of climate change on these unique amphibians. Specifically, they aimed to assess how the warmer and drier temperatures occurring with climate change affect the survival of two distinct aspects of the frog's life cycle: in the aquatic stage where ...

A species of frog endemic to the Pacific Northwest faces a 50 per cent increase in the probability of extinction by the 2080s due to climate change, according to a new study published by SFU researchers. The mountain-dwelling Cascades frog thrives in extreme climatic conditions, ranging from dozens of feet of snow in winter to temperatures in excess of 90°F in summer. Cascades frogs are explosive breeders and their role as predators of flying insects is critical to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. SFU biologist Wendy Palen, along with co-authors Mike Adams of the United States Geological Survey and Maureen Ryan and Amanda Kissel of Conservation Science Partners, set out to understand the effects of climate change on these unique amphibians. Specifically, they aimed to assess how the warmer and drier temperatures occurring with climate change affect the survival of two distinct aspects of the frog’s life cycle: in the aquatic stage where the frogs develop as tadpoles in shallow ...

The endemic Seychelles Frog (Sooglossus sechellensis) one of the species being monitored in the Vallee de Mai. (Seychelles Islands Foundation) Photo license   ( Seychelles News Agency ) - Conservationists and environmentalists in Seychelles have called for a more coordinated research approach and better management of the island nation’s amphibians. The need to gather more accurate and reliable data and put in place better population management programmes for these species was raised at the Seychelles Amphibians Symposium held last week at the University of Seychelles (UNISEY). Ornithologist and conservation biologist Gerard Rocamora of the Island Conservation Society said the objective of the symposium is to keep all partners motivated about the conservation of amphibians, which play a vital role in the eco-system. “Amphibians are as important as everything else in the environment and they are increasingly facing global threats including diseases, viruses and global ...

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — The state Department of Environmental Conservation's Hudson River Estuary Program will host training for volunteers in the Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings project Thursday, Feb. 7. The training will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at the agency's Region 3 office, 21 South Putt Corners Road. The workshop is free, but space is limited and registration is required. To register, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/AMRC_2019_VolunteerTraining . This optional training will review amphibian identification and provide volunteer guidance on data collection methods and safety measures. In addition, there will be a hands-on activity and a chance to meet other volunteers. In 2018, volunteers counted more than 2,800 amphibians and helped at least 1,771 cross roads during the migration.  The training is for new volunteers, as well as anyone needing to refresh or refine their skills. For more information, email woodlandpool@dec.ny.gov . http://bit.ly/2RYUSzp

Muskoka Conservancy is inviting you to join its ranks protecting the local environment. On January 30th, the conservation agency will hold a training session of citizen scientists named ‘Project Protect’. You’ll be trained on how to identify frog calls and keep track of the current frog population in Muskoka. Experts say frogs play a crucial role in keeping Muskoka’s lakes, rivers and wetlands healthy, so this type of work is very important. Conservancy officials say there’s no experience needed, all you do need is an interest in nature and a drive to help protect it. If you’re interested in joining this two-hour session you can contact Aaron at 705-645-7393 ext. 200 or e-mail info@muskokaconservancy.org. http://bit.ly/2Hydu58

Many organisms including insects, amphibians and yeasts use sex pheromones for attracting individuals of the opposite sex, but what happens to sex pheromones as new species emerge? New research publishing January 22 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology from Taisuke Seike and Hironori Niki at the National Institute of Genetics, Japan and Chikashi Shimoda at Osaka City University, Japan studies sex pheromones in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, revealing an "asymmetric" pheromone recognition system in which one pheromone operates extremely stringently whereas the other pheromone is free to undergo a certain degree of diversification, perhaps leading to a first step towards speciation. New species may emerge when two populations can no longer interbreed, and this so-called reproductive isolation, which restricts gene flow between populations, is one of the key mechanisms of speciation. Mutational alterations of the pheromone system can affect the ability of mal...

The naturalist and TV presenter David Attenborough warned that human activity has forced the Earth into a "new geological age." Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday, Attenborough said that he was born during the Holocene, a 12,000-year era of climatic stability that had allowed civilization to flourish. But, he continued, that long period of history had ended during his lifetime. "The Holocene has ended. The Garden of Eden is no more. We have changed the world so much that scientists say we are in a new geological age: the Anthropocene, the age of humans," he declared. A survey conducted before the annual economic forum concluded that environmental disruption is now the biggest danger to the global economy. The U.K.'s Prince William arrived at the WEF event on Tuesday to discuss environmental issues with Attenborough. Taking questions from the royal, the 92-year-old continued his theme, stating that the human race was "so numerous, ...

Last year on Valentine’s Day, Bolivia’s Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d’Orbigny in Cochabamba put up a Match.com profile for Romeo, a male Sehuencas water frog thought to possibly be the last of his kind. While no lady-frogs messaged him back, lots of humans did, donating $25,000 to efforts to find more of the endangered amphibians. Now, that generosity is paying dividends. Researchers in Bolivia have found five more Sehuencas frogs, including an adult female croaker, which they hope will be a love match with Romeo. Damian Carrington at The Guardian reports that the species was once fairly abundant in Bolivia’s tropical cloud forests , known for low-hanging cloud cover. But in recent decades, water frog species across Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru faced a variety of threats, including habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, Chytrid fungus and invasive trout that nibble frog’s eggs. Ten years ago, Romeo was collected from the wild in hopes of establishing a captive breedin...

A comprehensive checklist of Indian amphibians has been updated and launched on the Zoological Survey of India(ZSI) website on January 18, with 19 species being treated as Critically Endangered and 33 species as Endangered. The list is updated and launched by ZSI from time to time as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 1996, Nirmal U. Kulkarni, a herpetologist, field ecologist and conservationist from Mhadei Research Centre, told The Hindu on January 21. “Since 2009, scientists of the ZSI in collaboration with other institutes have been updating the Indian amphibian checklist periodically,” Mr. Kulkarni said. “In 2009 the total number of species was 284. In 2010 it was 311, in 2011 it was 314, in 2012 and 2013 it was 342, in 2015 it was 384 and in 2017 it was 405 species.” The present comprehensive checklist is updated with all the species names, their the IUCN Red List conservation status and year of discovery, available till December 2018 and it enlist...

An updated list of Indian amphibians was released on the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) website last week, with 19 species being treated as critically endangered and 33 species as endangered. Nirmal U. Kulkarni, a herpetologist and conservationist from Mhadei Reseach Centre said, “Since 2009, the scientists of the ZSI in collaboration with other institutes have been updating the Indian amphibian checklist periodically. In 2009, the total number of species listed was 284. In 2010 it was 311, in 2011 it was 314, in 2012 and 2013 it was 342, in 2015 it was 384 and in 2017 it was 405 species.” The list also notes if the species are in danger, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IUCN status The current list bears the names of 432 amphibian species from India, the year of discovery and their IUCN ‘red list’ conservation status. Among the amphibians listed, 19 species are treated as critically endangered and 33 species as endangered, Mr. Kulkarni sai...

Submitted Photo Whatever the weather, indoors and out, find much to experience at Audubon Community Nature Center's Snowflake Local Living Festival on Saturday, Feb. 2. Inside will be owls and hawks and other live animals, as well as things to make and do. Outdoors will be horse-drawn carriage rides, sled dog demonstrations, hikes and more. If the ground is snow-covered, guests can try snowshoeing. Good food and fun interactives round out the day. Jamestown – Whether you are a fan of winter or looking forward to spring, you are sure to have fun at Audubon Community Nature Center’s Snowflake Local Living Festival. Now in its 37th year, the Saturday, Feb. 2, family-friendly celebration is all about enjoying local places, weather, activities, and products. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admissions are $8 adults, $6 members, $2 children 3 to 15, and free for children two and under. Parking is free. The captivating live animals include Wild Spirit Education’s owls and hawks,...

A frog by the name of Romeo, thought to be the last of his species, is no longer fortune's fool. Defying the stars, this lonely amphibious bachelor has at last found his Juliet. Known as the world's loneliest frog, for ten years Romeo has burned, he has pined, but he has not perished. His story is an inspiration for singletons of every breed. After years of isolation in captivity, chirping his love songs in vain, Romeo has shown a level of patience that would impress even the most virtuous among us. At long last, his perseverance has paid off. Hiding deep within a remote Bolivian cloud forest, scientists have found and captured no less than five Sehuencas water frogs ( Telmatobius yuracare ) - three males and two females. This may not be enough to maintain a viable population in the wild, but that hasn't stopped conservationists from trying. Researchers at Cochabamba, Bolivia's Natural History Museum (Museo de Historia Natural Alcide dOrbigny) are going to try to...

Almost a year after conservationists sent out a plea to help save a species of Bolivian aquatic frog by finding a mate for the last known member, Romeo, his very own Juliet has been tracked down deep inside a cloud forest. Not only did the wildlife conservation team return with a potential mate for Romeo, who had been 10 years a bachelor, but also another four members of the Sehuencas water frog species, boosting hopes to save the tiny amphibians from extinction. After previous failed expeditions to the same area over the last decade, a joint expedition between Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC) and the Alcide d'Orbigny Natural History museum finally scored a success in the Bolivian wilderness. And the good news came about after securing funding following a Valentine's Day appeal last year to help find Romeo his Juliet. "It is an incredible feeling to know that thanks to everyone who believes in true love and donated for Valentine's Day last year, we have already ...

Queen’s Park is updating Ontario’s Endangered Species Act for the first time in a decade. “We are consulting to improve the effectiveness of our environmental protections to ensure a balanced approach between a healthy environment and a healthy economy,” Environment Minister Rod Phillips said in a statement. “During the past decade of implementing the act, we have heard what works well, and what can be improved,” said Phillips, who is also minister for conservation and parks. The province is home to more than 30,000 species of wildlife, fish, insects, and plants. But 243 amphibians, birds, fish, insects, mussels, mammals, plants, and reptiles are included on Ontario’s “species at risk” list due climate change, disease, habitat loss, invasive species, and pollution. Article Continued Below Among those endangered are: the Fowler’s toad, the northern dusky salamander, the barn owl, the golden eagle, the American eel, the lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes, the gypsy cuckoo ...

Save for one “lonely” survivor in captivity, the Sehuencas water frog hadn’t been seen in the wild since 2008. That’s when its numbers collapsed, primarily due to chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease that has devastated frog populations worldwide. Fearing the species might be extinct, some scientists spent 10 years searching the Bolivian mountain forests for the amphibians. Now, they’ve found a tiny population of five . “It’s just incredible,” says herpetologist Robin Moore, communications director at Global Wildlife Conservation in Austin, Texas. He was among the scientists who announced the discovery on January 15. With no current way to get rid of the lethal chytrid fungus in the wild, scientists are keen to study the survivors, Moore says. The five Sehuencas water frogs ( Telmatobius yuracare ) were found in their native habitat: the Bolivian mountain cloud forests, where the climate is moist and cool — and ideal for chytrid to grow. “It could be that this small population has immu...

Last year on Valentine’s Day, Bolivia’s Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d’Orbigny in Cochabamba put up a Match.com profile for Romeo, a male Sehuencas water frog thought to possibly be the last of his kind. While no lady-frogs messaged him back, lots of humans did, donating $25,000 to efforts to find more of the endangered amphibians. Now, that generosity is paying dividends. Researchers in Bolivia have found five more Sehuencas frogs, including an adult female croaker, which they hope will be a love match with Romeo. Damian Carrington at The Guardian reports that the species was once fairly abundant in Bolivia’s tropical cloud forests , known for low-hanging cloud cover. But in recent decades, water frog species across Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru faced a variety of threats, including habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, Chytrid fungus and invasive trout that nibble frog’s eggs. Ten years ago, Romeo was collected from the wild in hopes of establishing a captive breedin...

North Carolina is home to more than 1,000 nongame wildlife species. Many are common and can be found in backyards and fields and woods near homes, while others are seldom seen and may be rare or endangered. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is reminding taxpayers that they can support programs benefitting species without a hunting or fishing season by checking line No. 30 on their state income tax forms and indicating how much they wish to give of their tax refunds to the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund. This fund supports the commission’s Wildlife Diversity Program, which is engaged in conservation, research and management of nongame birds, mammals and fish, as well as mollusks, reptiles, amphibians and crayfish. These include endangered species and species such as bald eagles and peregrine falcons once considered endangered but not anymore thanks in part to the commission work. Game animals such as deer, turkey and bear also benefit when the Wildlife Diversity ...

That potato salad sitting out in the heat too long is a recipe for food poisoning. Fortunately, you can get rid of the bad microbes you consume by vomiting . No so for frogs . If a frog eats something toxic, it can't eject its stomach contents. Instead, the frog throws up its entire stomach . This is called full gastric eversion, and it's a little like dumping out your pockets. A tidy creature, the frog wipes the stomach hanging out of its mouth with its front feet to remove any stray bits. Then it packs the whole thing back into its body, where it will presumably stay until the next noxious tidbit is eaten. [embedded content] People feel nausea before they throw up, probably, so they learn to avoid whatever made them sick. Of course, there's no way to know if a frog feels a little green before it turns its tummy inside out. Frogs aren't the only animals that can't vomit. Others include horses, rabbits and rats – one reason rat poison is so effective. And some...

MUSKOKA — The Northern Water Snake is one of 15 snake species in Ontario, and has been a native resident to the Muskoka lakes much longer than any cottager. They are widespread in a variety of permanent freshwater bodies, found in the shoreline habitat of many lakes, rivers and wetlands throughout most of Ontario. Primarily diurnal species, typically active from April to late October, they are one of the more commonly encountered snakes in Muskoka. Why should we care about the Northern Water Snake ( Nerodia sipedon ) you might ask? Not only are they a predator species, they are a food source to other animals as well. They are preyed upon by Muskoka’s Great Blue Heron, Osprey, fox, raccoons, and even other snake species. Feeding on fish and amphibians along the water’s edge, they are an important link in the food chain where without them, the ecosystem would be unbalanced. Understanding of the physical characteristics of the snakes we share Muskoka with, might help mitigate confusion...

Video Player Close URUMQI, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The population of Xinjiang's critically endangered ranodon sibiricus, a primitive amphibian with an evolution history dating back to the age of dinosaurs, rises to 3,000 due to improved wildlife habitat. The species number increased by over 200 in 2018 over the previous year, said Ji Xiaowei with a ranodon sibiricus natural reserve in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Ranodon sibiricus only lives in the border area between China and Kazakhstan. China's amphibians are spotted in six major mountain wetlands near western Xinjiang's Bortala River. Ji said experts in the reserve in Wenquan county have intensified their inspection and remote monitoring over the amphibians, and their years of efforts in returning grazing land to grasslands have contributed to the increasing numbers. The reserve also prohibits the entry into the core conservation area without permission and imposes restrictions on grazing...

To the Editor: This devastation (clearcut at U.S. Rt. 33 and River Road near The Plains) stands to be more of a serious environmental concern than many may consider. It runs on the backside of properties that run the length of River Road. The area along River Road, and adjacent to the Hocking River (and bike path) is home to a large population and a variety of amphibians and wildlife. OU students and others flock to the area for observation, educational and other purposes to study these amphibians. Run-off from AEP’s spraying along power lines already has caused environmental concern for residents of River Road. As this property, mentioned in the Jan. 10 Athens NEWS article, runs along the back side of the properties that run the length of River Road (the river and bike path), maybe more research should be done regarding environmental impact to the area. Suzanne Greif http://bit.ly/2D8hrcD

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — As the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge unfolded in early 2016, Jay Bowerman watched with growing incredulity. The feeling escalated as the armed militants protested federal regulations regarding public lands by squatting for 41 days inside the headquarters of the federal bird refuge. The occupation, he felt, had tainted one of Oregon's most beautiful spots. "It was disturbing," Bowerman said. "Malheur deserves to be remembered not for its armed occupation, but for its natural beauty, wildlife diversity and rich cultural heritage." After the court verdict in which seven occupiers were acquitted, Bowerman found comfort in listening to a haunting orchestral work called "Cantus Arcticus" (subtitled "Concerto for Birds") by Finnish composer Einojunhani Rautavaara. The work has birds sounds layered in with the music "I listened to the music over and over and over," he said. "It w...

Editor's note: This story originally appeared in Ensia and is printed here as part of a republishing partnership. Read the original here . John Coates' laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, hums with activity. Negative 80-degree freezers whirr, liquid nitrogen bubbles, grad students meticulously measure and mix complicated concoctions. But all of this is nothing compared with the commotion going on at a microscopic level. The Coates lab is growing many different kinds of bacteria, multiplying in petri dishes at mind-boggling rates. But these bacteria aren't out to harm people or animals. In fact, quite the opposite — they're hard at work breaking down a dangerous chemical that pollutes waterways across the United States. The chemical, called perchlorate, comes from rocket fuel, munitions and fireworks. It's dangerous to humans because it can impair thyroid function . It can also affect the thyroid in freshwater animals like fish and amphibians ...

( more about Power Words ) amphibians      A group of animals that includes frogs, salamanders and caecilians. Amphibians have backbones and can breathe through their skin. Unlike reptiles, birds and mammals, unborn or unhatched amphibians do not develop in a special protective sac called an amniotic sac. biology      The study of living things. The scientists who study them are known as biologists. bug      The slang term for an insect. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (or CDC)     An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC is charged with protecting public health and safety by working to control and prevent disease, injury and disabilities. It does this by investigating disease outbreaks, tracking exposures by Americans to infections and toxic chemicals, and regularly surveying diet and other habits among a representative cross-section of all Amer...