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Out of the Wild

Spanish Translation

Suzanne Zimbler

A deadly fungus is attacking amphibians in the wild. Scientists are saving species by keeping them in captivity.

There was a time not too long ago when a trek into any forest in Panama meant a chance to find hundreds of googly-eyed frogs and some slithery salamanders. Biologist Edgardo Griffith remembers it well. "Just five years ago, you would see frogs everywhere," he told TFK. "Now, you hardly see them at all."

Scientists say a fungus called chytrid (kit-rid) is to blame for the animals' disappearance. Chytrid causes an infection that attacks amphibians' skin. The fungus has invaded every continent where amphibians live. It has already spread through western Panama, wiping out entire species. The Panamanian golden frog is one victim. The frog used to be an easy-to-spot symbol of good fortune. Now it is nearly extinct.

But thanks to efforts led by Griffith, the golden frog's luck has not completely run out. Griffith and his team are racing to stop amphibian species from going extinct. The scientists collect and protect species that are at risk. They plan to keep the animals inside until the fungus is no longer a threat outside. The golden frog is one of the species Griffith has taken in.

Similar efforts are underway in other countries. Together, the programs are called the Amphibian Ark, after the story of Noah saving animals from a great flood with his ark.

All Aboard the Ark!

Griffith began collecting amphibians in and around El Valle, Panama, in 2005. At first, he stored the animals at a nearby hotel. With help from the Houston Zoo, he started constructing a building for the amphibians three years ago. El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center will be finished in April. It already houses more than 600 amphibians.

To decide which amphibians to bring to the center, the scientists determine which species are in the most danger. "In Panama, we can look to the west and see which species disappeared, and then look to the east and say that their close relatives are at risk," says Kevin Zippel, Amphibian Ark's director.

No one knows how long it will take to beat chytrid. The scientists plan to keep the amphibian families in captivity for 100 years. They collect at least 10 animals of each kind. If those 10 breed, eventually there will be about 500 animals in each species.

A Future for Frogs

According to Zippel, one-third of the more than 6,000 amphibian species in the world are in trouble. The chytrid fungus is one threat, but habitat destruction affects even more species. "If you take away the forest to build houses, there's no way the amphibians can make it," Griffith says.

The loss of these animals causes serious problems for ecosystems. Predators that rely on amphibians for food suffer. Insects that amphibians eat explode in population.

The Amphibian Ark programs provide a temporary solution. But conservationists look forward to a time when amphibians will not need their help. "Once the animals are safe in the wild again," says Zippel, "then I'll say it's a success."

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