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Researchers rediscover one of the world’s most sought-after lost frogs

 The rediscovered Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad (<i></img>Atelopus balios</i>) was number 6 in the 100 Lost Frogs. Photo: © Eduardo Toral-Contreras.” ><br></br><i> The rediscovered Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad (<i>Atelopus balios</i>) was number 6 in the 100 Lost Frogs. Photo: © Eduardo Toral-Contreras.</i><br></br>
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<p>The Search for Lost Frogs, a global expedition to uncover amphibian species not seen for decades, has uncovered one of the expedition’s most sought-after species: the Pescado stubfoot toad (<i>Atelopus balios</i>). The discovery in Ecuador was one bright spot in a search that revealed more about the crisis and extinctions of frogs than it did about the hopefulness of finding cryptic communities. In total the expedition rediscovered 4 of its 100 targeted species.<br></br>
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<p>The Pescado stubfoot toad was dubbed number 6 in the Search’s Top Ten Amphibians, and was the only species in the Top Ten to be rediscovered.<br></br>
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<p>Researchers had feared that this toad had succumbed to a fungal disease, chytridiomycosis like so many other amphibian species. However, researchers received a tip from a local community where the species, not seen since 1995, may still reside. A single adult toad was then found beside a river in a matrix of farmland and tropical rainforest.<br></br>
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<p>While hopeful, the find does not guarantee the species’ survival. Researchers believe this spot to be the last stand for the Critically Endangered Pescado stubfoot toad, and the area it was rediscovered is not under any form of protection.<br></br>
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<p>The Search for Lost Frogs was an initiative undertaken by Conservation International (CI), the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG), and Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC).<br></br>
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<p><b>To read more about the Search’s discoveries: <a href=Worldwide search for ‘lost frogs’ ends with 4% success, but some surprises.






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(02/16/2011) Last August, a group of conservation agencies launched the Search for Lost Frogs, which employed 126 researchers to scour 21 countries for 100 amphibian species, some of which have not been seen for decades. After five months, expeditions found 4 amphibians out of the 100 targets, highlighting the likelihood that most of the remaining species are in fact extinct; however the global expedition also uncovered some happy surprises. Amphibians have been devastated over the last few decades; highly sensitive to environmental impacts, species have been hard hit by deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, agricultural chemicals, overexploitation for food, climate change, and a devastating fungal disease, chytridiomycosis. Researchers say that in the past 30 years, its likely 120 amphibians have been lost forever.

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Photos: world’s top ten ‘lost frogs’


(08/09/2010) The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Conservation International (CI) have sent teams of researchers to 14 countries on five continents to search for the world’s lost frogs. These are amphibian species that have not been seen for years—in some cases even up to a century—but may still survive in the wild. Amphibians worldwide are currently undergoing an extinction crisis. While amphibians struggle to survive against habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and overexploitation, they are also being wiped out by a fungal disease known as chytridiomycosis.

Scientists hunt for ‘lost frogs’ around the globe

(08/09/2010) From now through October, teams of scientists will be scouring through leaf litters, in shallow pools, under rocks, and in tree trunks for the world’s ‘lost frogs’. Searching in 14 countries on five continents, the researchers are looking for some 100 species of frogs that have not been seen in decades and in some cases up to a century. While some of the species may well be extinct, researchers are holding out hope that they can find the ones that are still hanging on, albeit by a thread.

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