Amphibians are vanishing at an alarming rate, scientists warn

Human activities and interference have been detrimental to flora and fauna for centuries. There has been eitherdirect or indirect human hand in the extinction of many species over the years. All this is common knowledge.But scientists still have to issue periodic warnings for us to wake from our slumber and at least be mindful of the problems that face nature.

Yet another such warning has come. This time it is about amphibians. Researchers and scientists have said that amphibians are disappearing at an alarming rate.

"Amphibians are disappearing faster than we can study them, but the list of reasons to protect them is long, including their role in medicine, pest control, alerting us to environmental conditions, and making the planet more beautiful," said Kelsey Neam, an ecologist with Re:wild. It is an environmental organisation which aims to 'build a thriving Earth where all life flourishes'.

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Neam was quoted by ScienceAlert.

Till 2004, the reasons behind the disappearance of amphibians were mainly destruction of habitat and disease. But now, a new reason is causing their rapid demise: Climate Change.

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As reported by ScienceAlert, changing weather patterns are behind 39 per cent of decline among amphibians. Habitat loss is still a major reason behind the decrease in the amphibian population as it is responsible for 37 per cent of such a decline.

"These species are the 'canaries in the coal mine' – they are highly sensitive to factors such as climate change and pollution, which lead to extinction, and are a stark warning of things to come," said University of Oxford zoologist Jonathan Baillie, who was not part of study, and was quoted by Science Daily.

"If we lose them, other species will inevitably follow."

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Environmentalists from Re:wild studied 8011 amphibian species to update their status for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Last such analysis was done in the year 2004.

They have found that the situation is deteriorating.

"The true impacts are probably underestimated," says Jennifer Luedtke, the environmentalist from Re:wild.

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Amphibians like frogs along with other species eat insects, thus keeping their population under control. If amphibians vanish, the increasing populations of insects may increase the prevalence of diseases like Malaria and more.

(With inputs from agencies)

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