2008 Declared Year of Frog to Save Amphibians
Date: 03-Sep-07
Country: UK
Author: Jeremy Lovell
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) said on
Friday that up to half of amphibian species could be wiped out
in coming years through habitat loss and climate change -- the
biggest mass extinction since dinosaurs disappeared.
"It's imperative that the world zoo and aquarium community
plays an active role in working to save the planet's critically
endangered amphibian species," said WAZA president Karen Sausman
following the decision at a meeting in Budapest.
As part of the campaign, which needs to raise up to US$60
million in funding, WAZA also set up a petition calling on all
governments to take action to beat the amphibian crisis and
agreed to an Amphibian Ark captive breeding programme.
"It's both our obligation and our privilege to help these
glorious animals. We invite all people around the world to help
amphibians survive by signing our global petition and
contributing to fund this initiative," Sausman added.
The programme will bring priority amphibian species into
dedicated facilities at zoos, aquariums, and other institutions
around the world for safekeeping and breeding.
The creatures will be released back into the wild when the
original threats have been controlled.
WAZA, founded in 1946, is the umbrella organisation for 237
major zoos and aquariums as well as 24 regional or national
federations representing a further 1,100 zoos and aquariums.
IUCN, the World Conservation Union, which is taking part in
the Amphibian Ark programme, said 1,856 of the 5,743 known
amphibian species were threatened with extinction.
WAZA, which hopes its petition will be signed by the
millions of people who visit zoos and aquariums each year,
appointed world renowned British naturalist David Attenborough
as patron of the Year of the Frog.
"Without an immediate and sustained conservation effort to
support captive management, hundreds of species of these
wonderful creatures could become extinct in our own lifetime,"
he said.
"But implementation calls for financial and political
support from all parts of the world."