Amphibians: Cloning to Save

Frogs are amphibians that have been around for over 360 million years. However, within recent years, frogs and other amphibians have had an alarming decline in species. While the reason behind this decline cannot be determined to just one thing, there are still ways that we can fix the problem.

Before a solution can be proposed, the causes of endangerment need to be analyzed. Many case studies have led to different conclusions, complicating the situation. A case study in the North American Rocky Mountains shows that while the Leopard Frog’s population has decreased, the Wood Frog has remained unaffected. (“Adopt a Pond”) although this is not the only case of rise and decline found, as there are many such cases.

The Giant Cane Frog, native to South America but later introduced to Australia, has been rising rapidly in population as well. Now while some frog species are on the rise, the majority is doing just the opposite. The Golden Toad in Costa Rica has disappeared from a protective habitat. The Gastric Brooding Frog in Australia and the Cricket Frog in North America have also done a vanishing act. These are only a few examples of the dangers frogs face. The greatest threat they face is the destruction of their wetland habitats. While amphibian populations fluctuate, this rate of this decline is unheard of. (“Adopt a Pond”)

Humans, whether it be known to them or not, are killing amphibians. Between the destruction of their habitats and the use of pesticides and harvesting, while exact cause of the population downturn is unknown, people can still help to reduce waste and preserve and restore the wetlands. Back when the media was hyped-up about global warming, the environmental changes had taken a turn for the better...

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Trivedi, Bijal P. . "Scientists Clone First Endangered Species: a Wild Sheep." Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

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