Earth’s amphibians ‘are sliding towards extinction’; Chinese populations remain threatened, major study finds
- Global evaluation of 8,000 species shows 2 out of every 5 amphibians ‘are still in trouble’ from habitat loss and climate change
- Amphibians continue to be the most threatened class of vertebrates, with 14 species becoming extinct since 1980
The scientists are urging immediate and substantial investments and policy actions to support the survival and ongoing recovery of amphibians, building on conservation efforts, such as habitat protection, that have reduced the extinction risk of 63 species since 1980.
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El Nino is here, and it’s quite worrying, according to climate scientists
The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature on Wednesday.
The evidence shows that “amphibians are still in trouble”, said co-lead author Jennifer Luedtke, manager of species partnerships at Re:wild, a Texas-based environmental conservation organisation, who referred to a 2004 global assessment that found amphibians were the most threatened class of vertebrates.
Globally, 37 amphibian extinctions have been documented – 23 occurred before 1980, followed by 10 more extinctions by 2004 and another four by the end of last year.
The latest research shows that amphibians – which can live both in water and on land – remain the animals most at risk, with 41 per cent of them threatened with extinction, higher than 26.5 per cent of mammals, 21.4 per cent of reptiles and 12.9 per cent of birds.
