On this episode, we discuss the global outbreak of the chytrid fungus, which might have already driven as many as 200 species of frogs to extinction, but there have been some hopeful recent developments.
Our guest is biologist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Jonathan Kolby, who founded the Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center, or HARCC for short, to study and rescue frogs affected by the chytrid fungus. Tree frogs in Cusuco National Park in Honduras, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth, are being decimated by the aquatic fungal pathogen.
The chytrid outbreak is contributing to the sixth global mass extinction event currently underway. Kolby explains that the fungus had already spread worldwide before scientists even discovered its existence, and has already caused hundreds of amphibian species worldwide to become endangered or even extinct.
In this Field Notes segment, Kolby plays for us some recordings of the frog species he’s working to save from the deadly fungal infection in Honduras and says that there might be hope that frogs and other amphibians affected by chytrid can successfully cope with the disease.
Read more about Kolby and HARCC’s work at frogrescue.com, or follow Kolby on Twitter or Instagram.
You can also check out this recent feature in bioGraphic and accompanying video, which Kolby mentions in the podcast:
Here’s this episode’s top news:
- Top Madagascar shrimp co. moved millions among tax-haven shell companies
- Brazil scraps 11 new Amazon protected areas covering 2,316 square miles
- 8,100-square-mile indigenous reserve recognized in Brazilian Amazon
- Agreement bans commercial fishing across much of the Arctic, for now
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Follow Mike Gaworecki on Twitter: @mikeg2001
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Transcript
Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.A transcript has not been created for this podcast.
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