Amphibians are the most at-risk vertebrate group, as 40.7 percent of species assessed are under threat.
What is Chytridiomycosis?
According to the global analysis, a skin-feeding fungus has caused a decline in more than 500 species of amphibian, with 90 going extinct. Frogs in America and Australia have been affected the most, and only 12 percent of the species whose numbers fell have shown signs of recovery. The highest number of species getting affected was recorded in the 1980s.
What Other Factors?
Statistics state that the biggest reason for decline after 2004 is climate change, which caused 39 percent of cases, and habitat degradation accounted for 37 percent of cases according to the second Global Amphibian Assessment. For the amphibians, its living conditions include areas with the presence of ponds and lakes.
Can They Survive?
In order to prevent the chytridiomycosis fungus from reaching places such as New Guinea, amphibian trade should become limited, and effective biosecurity measures must be taken. The existence of programs such as the corroboree frog recovery effort proves that species on the verge of extinction might be saved and the sixth mass extinction situation can be prevented.
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