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Kihansi spray toad goes extinct in the wild Jeremy Hance mongabay.com November 04, 2009 The Kihansi spray toad Nectophrynoides asperginis, which still survives in a number of zoos in the United States, had lived on just two hectares along the Kihansi gorge in Tanzania. The toad was specially adapted to the spray region of the Kihansi waterfall, which kept its small environment at a constant temperature and humidity. The construction of a dam, funded by the World Bank, upset the flow of the waterfall and devastated the species. The toad was only discovered a year into construction of the dam, along with two plants, which were endemic to the microenvironment like the toad.
In the midst of this crisis, 500 individuals of the Kihansi spray toad were taken to American zoos to start a breeding program. The program had numerous setbacks in the beginning, but as of 2007 the breeding program had retained around 460 individual frogs. The Kihansi spray toad is a dwarf toad, no more than three quarters of an inch long. Related articles Kihansi Spray Toad faces extinction (07/07/2005) The number "52" is written on a white board and boxed with black pen like the long-sought solution to a math problem. The concern is this number is the result of a massive subtraction problem; one that leaves a small yellow toad teetering on the edge of oblivion. Toad on brink of extinction, scientists race to study for bioactive compounds (06/29/2005) Following the construction of a dam in Tanzania, the Kihansi Spray Toad sits on the brink of extinction. Scientists are racing to study the amphibian for bioactive compounds with potential medical applications.
Tags: amphibians amphibian crisis extinction ex-situ conservation conservation tanzania east africa jeremy hance green environment disease dams water animals wildlife endangered species saving species from extinction Environmental news index | RSS | News Feed | Twitter | Home Advertisements:
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