See 200 live frogs
-
- July
- 24
The best way to learn about frogs? Try viewing more than 200 frogs representing 25 species.
That’s what awaits visitors to the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street in Manhattan, where the exhibit, “Frogs: A Chorus of Colors” remains on view until Sept. 9.
When the exhibit first opened in 2004, fewer than 5,000 species were known, but now, 5,380 have been identified.
Unfortunately, all the news is not good, according to the museum.
The spread of chytrid (pronounced KIH-trid) fungus, habitat degradation and global warming has taken a toll. Studies have shown that nearly 33 percent of the world’s amphibians are now threatened with extinction. Frogs account for 88 percent of the overall amphibian population, the museum said.
The exhibit teaches about the different species of frogs, their life cycle, threats and other interesting stuff.
The museum has been working to learn more about frogs. One tool it uses is the Global Amphibian Assessment Database, a comprehensive online resource for scientists that is managed by one of the curators of the “Frogs” exhibit, Darrel Frost.
Frost and lead curator Christopher Raxworthy, along with other scientists, recently co-wrote a Science journal article calling for the creation of The Amphibian Survival Alliance to coordinate research and conservation efforts worldwide.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, July 24th, 2007 at 4:10 pm by Laura Incalcaterra.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Print
| 
Email
Journal News staff writer Greg Clary writes Earth Watch, reporting on environmental issues in the lower Hudson region. Clary has been a reporter, editor and columnist at the Journal News since 1988 and has covered police and courts, transportation, municipal government, development and the environment in the Lower Hudson Valley, among other topics. 
Laura Incalcaterra covers the environment, open space and zoning and planning issues for The Journal News. A Boston College graduate, Laura grew up in Rockland, attended East Ramapo schools and has worked for The Journal News since 1993. Laura has written features and covered North Rockland, crime, government and a host of other issues.
Mike Risinit covers Patterson and Kent in Putnam County, as well as environmental topics touching on the Hudson River and the Great Swamp. Risinit has been a reporter at The Journal News since 1998.
