Conservation International knows that economic and infrastructure expansion impacts the environment. Therefore they are working at all levels of society to create sustainable development. One way Conservation International is working towards their goal is through a campaign called "The Search for the Lost Frogs". This campaign organizes expeditions whom search for 40 different species of amphibians, all of whom have not been seen in at least a decade. These expeditions are taking place throughout Asia, South America and Africa. No research has been conducted on any of the missing species in over a decade; therefore it is unknown whether they are extinct.
Amphibians play important roles in ecosystems since they filter waterways, eat disease carrying insects, regulate nutrient cycles, and provide us with breakthroughs in medicine. The skin of amphibians is especially useful in medical research because it contains substances that protect amphibians from certain microbes and viruses. Of all the Nobel Prizes won in Physiology and Medicine, 10% of them have used frogs in their research (Save the Frogs).
The majority of the expeditions have not begun their searches yet. However some expeditions have already rediscovered some species.
 |
| The Cave Splayfoot salamander had not been seen since 1941. A scientist from a Conservation International expedition rediscovered the salamander in a Mexican cave. |
 |
| The Omaniundu Reed Frog was last seen in 1979 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Conservation International expedition team spent hours searching a flooded forest off the Congo river in order to rediscover this species. |
 |
| The Mount Nimba Reed frog was last seen 43 years ago, but it has been rediscovered by a Conservation International expedition in the Cote d'Ivoire. Part of Mount Nimba is already protected, however it is urgent the rest of this region is protected since this is the sole habitat of this highly threatened species. |
The search for the rest of the missing species continues. Some species that remain missing include:
 |
| The Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad was last seen in 1995 and is listed as critically endangered. |
 |
| The Scarlet frog, hasn't been seen for over 20 years. They're only known to exist in a certain stream in a forest at a high altitude in Venezuela. |
I think the work Conservation International is doing is extremely important. Since all organisms are interconnected, the loss of just one species is a huge loss for all of us. By doing this research, Conservation International could save numerous species of amphibians, which directly benefits us and our ecosystems. I admire the fact that Conservation International sees the value in doing this research. They are literally reinforcing the web of life.
Sources:
"Benefits of Amphibians." The Zoological Society of London. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.zsl.org/about-us/>
"The Search for the Lost Frogs." Conservation International. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.conservation.org/campaigns/lost_frogs/Pages/search_for_lost_amphibians.aspx>
"What is Biodiversity?" Countdown 2010. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.countdown2010.net/biodiversity>
"Worldwide Amphibian Declines." Amphibiaweb. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.amphibiaweb.org/declines/declines.html>
"Why We Must Save the Frogs." Save the Frogs. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.savethefrogs.com/why-frogs/>
Blogs I commented on:
http://itsalive-conn.blogspot.com/2010/09/crikey.html?showComment=1286241948157#c5407455283525118911
