Splashes of Amphibian Color
From an NC Zoo media release of this morning:
"The newest animals at the North Carolina Zoo may be small, but they are not hard to spot.
"Three dozen tropical frogs, sporting some of the most vibrant colors in the animal kingdom, went on display for the first time Tuesday in the zoo’s R.J. Reynolds Forest Aviary. Four species of the three-inch long frogs, native to the jungles of Central and South America, are hopping around two new exhibits installed in the Aviary’s entrance lobby.
"They include blue, bumblebee and dyeing poison dart frogs as well as Panamanian golden frogs. Their electric blue, sunburst yellow and jet black hues make them hard to miss and are Mother Nature’s way of serving a warning to predators.
"The poison dart frogs gained their infamous moniker from the potent toxin produced on their skin that natives once used to coat darts and arrows for hunting. Cut off from the acidic ant diet that wild frogs use to produce the poison, captive dart frogs have lost their toxic coatings. But they are no less spectacular to view.
"The new exhibits are part of the N.C. Zoo’s effort to educate the public about the plight of frogs and other amphibians worldwide. Usually found in natural environments, amphibians are rapidly disappearing. Since 1980, more than 100 species have become extinct and as many as half the remaining species are now threatened due to loss of habitat, pollution, collection for the pet trade and a recent epidemic fungal infection that has destroyed populations around the globe. The fungus does not affect humans.
"For example, the wild population of Panamanian golden frogs has been completely wiped out. But the species has been salvaged...[, leaving] a group of frogs collected by scientists in 2001 before the fungus reached their range.
"“Amphibians are an important part of forest, stream and water
ecosystems,” observed Laura Valadez, N.C. Zoo animal management supervisor in charge of the frog display. “The new tropical frog exhibits will let our visitors see some of the more colorful of the amphibians and let them learn what an important role they play in the ecosystem.”
"The N.C. Zoo is developing a program to help preserve captive populations of amphibians until their wild habitats can be restored and the threat of the fungal infection has been resolved."
"The newest animals at the North Carolina Zoo may be small, but they are not hard to spot.
"Three dozen tropical frogs, sporting some of the most vibrant colors in the animal kingdom, went on display for the first time Tuesday in the zoo’s R.J. Reynolds Forest Aviary. Four species of the three-inch long frogs, native to the jungles of Central and South America, are hopping around two new exhibits installed in the Aviary’s entrance lobby.
"They include blue, bumblebee and dyeing poison dart frogs as well as Panamanian golden frogs. Their electric blue, sunburst yellow and jet black hues make them hard to miss and are Mother Nature’s way of serving a warning to predators.
"The poison dart frogs gained their infamous moniker from the potent toxin produced on their skin that natives once used to coat darts and arrows for hunting. Cut off from the acidic ant diet that wild frogs use to produce the poison, captive dart frogs have lost their toxic coatings. But they are no less spectacular to view.
"The new exhibits are part of the N.C. Zoo’s effort to educate the public about the plight of frogs and other amphibians worldwide. Usually found in natural environments, amphibians are rapidly disappearing. Since 1980, more than 100 species have become extinct and as many as half the remaining species are now threatened due to loss of habitat, pollution, collection for the pet trade and a recent epidemic fungal infection that has destroyed populations around the globe. The fungus does not affect humans.
"For example, the wild population of Panamanian golden frogs has been completely wiped out. But the species has been salvaged...[, leaving] a group of frogs collected by scientists in 2001 before the fungus reached their range.
"“Amphibians are an important part of forest, stream and water
ecosystems,” observed Laura Valadez, N.C. Zoo animal management supervisor in charge of the frog display. “The new tropical frog exhibits will let our visitors see some of the more colorful of the amphibians and let them learn what an important role they play in the ecosystem.”
"The N.C. Zoo is developing a program to help preserve captive populations of amphibians until their wild habitats can be restored and the threat of the fungal infection has been resolved."
posted by Russ Williams at
12:07 PM
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