Today marks the annual Save the Frogs Day, the world's largest day of amphibian education and conservation action. We, too, have frogs in the Spiral and it is fundamental to know why they are important.
Why frogs?
Myth Wizards will know how cool these creatures are, but why is it so important to save them?
Frogs are an integral part of the food web:
- They keep waterways clean by feeding on algae;
- They eat large quantities of insects, including disease vectors that can transmit fatal illnesses to humans;
- They are an important food source to a diverse array of predators;
- The disappearance of frog populations disturbs an intricate food web, and results in negative impacts that cascade through the ecosystem.
- Most frogs require suitable habitat in both the terrestrial and aquatic environments, and have permeable skin that can easily absorb toxic chemicals. These traits make frogs especially susceptible to environmental disturbances, and thus frogs are considered accurate indicators of environmental stress;
- The health of frogs is thought to be indicative of the health of the biosphere as a whole.
- They produce a wide array of skin secretions, many of which have significant potential to improve human health through their use as pharmaceuticals;
- Scientists found over 76 different antimicrobial peptides on the skin of the European Common Brown Frog (Rana temporaria).
Threats to frogs
The primary causes of amphibian extinctions are pollution, loss of habitat, climate change, invasive species, road mortality, over-harvesting for the pet and food trades, and the infectious disease chytridiomycosis, which is spread by human activity.
How you can help
If you want to support this cause and help save these amphibians, who have thrived for millions of years, you can donate here. There are many other ways you can help, so feel free to read more about this here.
The Wizard City Ecological Society thanks you for your support and I'll see you in the Spiral!