Why they are in trouble

Return to Frogs and Toads

Cause

Examples

Habitat Loss

 - Human activities that degrade or eliminate wetlands. Wetlands are protected by federal and state regulations.

  • Destruction, fragmentation, alteration, degradation

  • Road mortalities

  • Fire suppression

Pollution and Chemical Contamination

 - Pesticides and herbicides wash into wetlands and kill or disrupt the wildlife there. Some frogs, like the Pickerel Frog, are particularly sensitive to water quality.

  • Direct Mortality

  • Disruption in development (ex Atrazine herbicide)

Environmental Changes

 - We monitor frog and toad populations to determine how they are effected by changes in their (and our) environment.

  • Increases in predators (ex Fish stocking)

  • Exotic and invasive species (ex Bullfrogs)

  • Global Climate Change (warming, cooling, drought)

Harvesting and Exploitation

 - There are some protections by international, federal, and state agencies through Endangered Species lists and regulations.

  • Food

  • Pet Trade

  • Poaching, killing

Disease

 - This is the only trouble that is not a result of human activities.

  • Chytridiomycosis (BD) ("kit-rid" fungus)

  • Ranavirus

Notice that all the frog troubles are from human activities except the diseases. If we can take care of the planet in a natural, sustainable way, the frogs and toads will be just fine.

Go on to What Can be Done to Help Them