Frogs - Page 4

Lotesse · 11-23-2006, 05:20 PM

(recent LA Times article)The mountain yellow-legged frog, that marvelous invalid of amphibians, may have yet another chance to avoid extinction.

Already imperiled by modernity, the sweet-voiced croaker was devastated by the 2003 forest fires that ravaged its native habitat in Southern California forestland.

Then 11 were found near the City Creek area of the San Bernardino Mountains and brought to the San Diego Zoo for a captive-breeding experiment.

Despite around-the-clock attention, they succumbed to a condition akin to tuberculosis.

Amphibian-lovers were close to saying farewell to the yellow-legged frog, which once roamed Southern California.

But in August, 82 tadpoles were spotted along a stream in the San Jacinto Mountains. The first thought of wildlife officials was to leave them alone. But officials with the U.S. Forest Service noted that the stream's water level was dropping, a death sentence for the tadpoles.

"The very next day we had a multi-agency response team at the site," said Gar Abbas, aquatic ecosystems program manager with the Forest Service.

The tadpoles were scooped up and rushed to the zoo's Conservation and Research for Endangered Species facility, scene of the earlier disappointment.

Five of the 82 tadpoles died shortly after arriving at the CRES complex at the zoo's Wild Animal Park. The rest are morphing nicely. Ten already are frogs, and others are growing legs.

Their hopes dashed before, the frogs' caregivers are cautious in their optimism.

"I'm pretty confident, but you never know, especially with tadpoles," said frog project leader Jeffrey Lemm. "It can look good one day and turn around the next."

Long-range plans call for releasing the frogs into the wild but keeping some studs in captivity. The yellow-legged frog once could be seen and heard throughout the lower half of the state, but predators and habitat loss reduced its population to a few hundred.

These are tough times for frogs. A fast-moving fungus has wiped out 120 species worldwide since 1980. That gives the yellow-legged effort a certain urgency.

"Frogs globally are in big trouble," said Allison Alberts, director of the conservation facility. "To me, it's not acceptable to lose any species."

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...ck=1&cset=true

I read this little article in the Times the other morning, Earniel, and immediately thought of you; thought you might like this news tidbit here -

***Earniel*** · 11-24-2006, 05:36 AM

Heh, thanks Lotesse.

It's very interesting.

***Rían*** · 12-01-2006, 04:20 AM

Speaking of thinking of Earniel - hey, Earniel, there's a new show coming out that is showing animals in the womb - the elephant is incredibly cute! I thought of you - are you still supporting the (relatively) little elephant?

***Earniel*** · 12-01-2006, 05:45 AM

Genesis perhaps? I've heard that was pretty ground-breaking visually.

Yes, still fostering lil' Icholta. Oh well, little is indeed relative, at seven she's already a head taller than me, if not more.

She's doing well.

***Rían*** · 12-01-2006, 05:01 PM

well, Genesis the book was pretty ground-breaking

I think it was just called "In the Womb - Animals" here, but I'm not sure.

Is it showing up in your neck of the woods?

***Earniel*** · 12-02-2006, 07:43 AM

Haven't seen it here yet, will keep an eye out for it. Are there any frogs in it?

Not that they develop in the womb, but some do skip tadpole fase and develop completely in the egg. It's kind of funny to see, tiny fully formed little frogs popping out of their egg in waves when something moves too close by.

Lotesse · 09-09-2007, 09:24 PM

Hey look!

***Earniel*** · 09-10-2007, 05:07 AM

I wonder if the first one is a photomanipulation, I've never seen that 'model' of frog in blue, only in greens. Then again, there are so many different frogs I have never seen before that I may very well be mistaken.

(EDIT: Unless, as I realise now, it lacks the yellow pigment in it skin, making it look blue instead of green. This abnormality does occur in some species of frogs that I know of.)

***Earniel*** · 01-05-2008, 06:23 PM

Shameless bump, yes I know.

For those interested in frogs, keep your TV's tuned for the British BBC 1, the 28th of January. Because that will be the start of the very final wildlife series from living legend sir David Attenborough, named Life in Cold Blood. It will deal with reptiles and amphibians, so yes, you guessed it: definitely frogs too.

Considering his other documentary series were quite breath-taking, I'm guessing this one will be no different (and at least it has been finished before the BBC decided to reduce their natural history devision to a third, such a shame).

If this article: Last golden frog will be anything to go by, it will likely contain the last footage ever of the Panamanian golden frog in the wild. By now, every individual they can find will have been rounded up and collected in breeding programmes, to save them from certain extinction as that bloody fungus sweeps through their territory. Stories like that do make my heart bleed.

So watch and be educated.

There will be a test later on.

Just kidding.

**Nurvingiel** · 01-05-2008, 07:23 PM

I love frogs! And toads! And I love snakes too. I also like turtles quite a bit.

Once I was at a lake and I noticed a tiny frog jumping across the grass toward the lake. I looked more closely and I saw ten more frogs. I started following them and they were all heading toward an upside down rowboat on the beach. In the end there was about 25 congregating under this boat. They were so cute, and I put my hand in front of one and it jumped right on so I picked it up. Then I put him back in the shade.

It was quite neat, they all looked quite young. I wonder if they had only recently hatched. (I don't know that much about frogs, though I probably should.)

I saw a lot of Western Toads this summer. One decided that in front of my truck's wheel would be a nice shady place to rest. I tried to shoo it away but it just hid beside the wheel where I might run it over anyway. I ended up catching it and walking him over to the forest. (No, you live here.

)

Eärniel, you might enjoy this site.

***Rían*** · 01-05-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eärniel

If this article: Last golden frog will be anything to go by, it will likely contain the last footage ever of the Panamanian golden frog in the wild.

What a beautiful little frog!!

here's another pic:

***Earniel*** · 01-05-2008, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Once I was at a lake and I noticed a tiny frog jumping across the grass toward the lake. I looked more closely and I saw ten more frogs. I started following them and they were all heading toward an upside down rowboat on the beach. In the end there was about 25 congregating under this boat. They were so cute, and I put my hand in front of one and it jumped right on so I picked it up. Then I put him back in the shade.

25! How cute! Quite a sight. We had quite a number of toadlets in the garden this year, born and bred in our very pond! 10 tiny individuals at least. They were barely larger than my thumbnail and oh. so. very. cute.

Quote:

It was quite neat, they all looked quite young. I wonder if they had only recently hatched. (I don't know that much about frogs, though I probably should.)

Being tiny is usual a good guess for them being young.

Except for some of the rainforest species, some of them are tiny as adults. I don't know much about the Canadian species, though.

Quote:

I saw a lot of Western Toads this summer. One decided that in front of my truck's wheel would be a nice shady place to rest. I tried to shoo it away but it just hid beside the wheel where I might run it over anyway. I ended up catching it and walking him over to the forest. (No, you live here.

)

Stubborn fellow, that one! It was very nice of you to take the time to hunt him down and bring him to safety.

In early autumn a couple of neighbouring toads had the idea that hopping though our backdoor everytime it was opened at night sounded like loads (or toads?) of fun. We had to watch our step for a while there and watch the door, since it hinges back close everytime with some force and we'd really, really hate to injure one of them.

Quote:

Eärniel, you might enjoy this site.

Nice site! I had the USA frogwatch site bookmarked already, but I didn't know of a Canadian site. Have all your garden amphibians been in the database?

We've been joined the Belgian database a year or so ago. This year we've also joined the butterfly count project.

***Earniel*** · 02-29-2008, 06:35 AM

I wanted to post about this before, but thought I'd wait to this specific day so it wouldn't just be Eärniel going on about frogs, yet again.

Why today? Today is the 29th of February, Leap Day. And 2008 has been named Year of the Frog by conservation organisations such as Amphibian Ark (check out their website, interesting and they have about the cutest logo ever) in a bid to bring the plight of the frogs into limelight.

Frogs are an important part of our ecosystems (and no, not just because I like them) and they're disappearing at an alarming rate. The Amphibian Ark project is geared at starting up breeding facilities for endangered frog-species to prevent them from going extinct all together when their wild populations dissapear. (It may sound overly dramatic, but as far as the Panamanian golden frog is concerned (see above) this is already reality.) Eärniel approves of this project.

The website also have a petition to call for more action for the frogs. (hint, hint, puppy eyes.

)

Have a look and spread the word.

The last sane person · 02-29-2008, 07:34 AM

Well, that and today is the birthday of Entmoot member MrGreenFrog. How auspicious!

Edit: Signed it.

***Jonathan*** · 02-29-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eärniel

The website also have a petition to call for more action for the frogs. (hint, hint, puppy eyes.

)

Signed!

Nerdanel · 02-29-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Signed!

Ditto.

BeardofPants · 02-29-2008, 03:36 PM

Signed the petition, and made a small donation. Thanks for the heads up.

Butterbeer · 02-29-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

... so it wouldn't just be Eärniel going on about frogs, yet again...

*Puppy Eyes*

You are Sooo endearing sometimes ..

Me sign up too

Best BB

x

***Earniel*** · 03-01-2008, 07:33 AM

Thanks guys.

't is much appreciated.

11-23-2006, 05:20 PM	#61
Lotesse of the House of Fëanor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,150	Endangered frog gets a new jump-start in life (recent LA Times article)The mountain yellow-legged frog, that marvelous invalid of amphibians, may have yet another chance to avoid extinction. Already imperiled by modernity, the sweet-voiced croaker was devastated by the 2003 forest fires that ravaged its native habitat in Southern California forestland. Then 11 were found near the City Creek area of the San Bernardino Mountains and brought to the San Diego Zoo for a captive-breeding experiment. Despite around-the-clock attention, they succumbed to a condition akin to tuberculosis. Amphibian-lovers were close to saying farewell to the yellow-legged frog, which once roamed Southern California. But in August, 82 tadpoles were spotted along a stream in the San Jacinto Mountains. The first thought of wildlife officials was to leave them alone. But officials with the U.S. Forest Service noted that the stream's water level was dropping, a death sentence for the tadpoles. "The very next day we had a multi-agency response team at the site," said Gar Abbas, aquatic ecosystems program manager with the Forest Service. The tadpoles were scooped up and rushed to the zoo's Conservation and Research for Endangered Species facility, scene of the earlier disappointment. Five of the 82 tadpoles died shortly after arriving at the CRES complex at the zoo's Wild Animal Park. The rest are morphing nicely. Ten already are frogs, and others are growing legs. Their hopes dashed before, the frogs' caregivers are cautious in their optimism. "I'm pretty confident, but you never know, especially with tadpoles," said frog project leader Jeffrey Lemm. "It can look good one day and turn around the next." Long-range plans call for releasing the frogs into the wild but keeping some studs in captivity. The yellow-legged frog once could be seen and heard throughout the lower half of the state, but predators and habitat loss reduced its population to a few hundred. These are tough times for frogs. A fast-moving fungus has wiped out 120 species worldwide since 1980. That gives the yellow-legged effort a certain urgency. "Frogs globally are in big trouble," said Allison Alberts, director of the conservation facility. "To me, it's not acceptable to lose any species." http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...ck=1&cset=true I read this little article in the Times the other morning, Earniel, and immediately thought of you; thought you might like this news tidbit here - __________________ Few people have the imagination for reality. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

11-24-2006, 05:36 AM	#62
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Heh, thanks Lotesse. It's very interesting. __________________ We are not things.

12-01-2006, 04:20 AM	#63
*Rían* Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Not where I want to be ... Posts: 15,254	Speaking of thinking of Earniel - hey, Earniel, there's a new show coming out that is showing animals in the womb - the elephant is incredibly cute! I thought of you - are you still supporting the (relatively) little elephant? __________________ . I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva!

12-01-2006, 05:45 AM	#64
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Genesis perhaps? I've heard that was pretty ground-breaking visually. Yes, still fostering lil' Icholta. Oh well, little is indeed relative, at seven she's already a head taller than me, if not more. She's doing well. __________________ We are not things.

12-01-2006, 05:01 PM	#65
*Rían* Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Not where I want to be ... Posts: 15,254	well, Genesis the book was pretty ground-breaking I think it was just called "In the Womb - Animals" here, but I'm not sure. Is it showing up in your neck of the woods? __________________ . I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva!

12-02-2006, 07:43 AM	#66
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Haven't seen it here yet, will keep an eye out for it. Are there any frogs in it? Not that they develop in the womb, but some do skip tadpole fase and develop completely in the egg. It's kind of funny to see, tiny fully formed little frogs popping out of their egg in waves when something moves too close by. __________________ We are not things.

09-09-2007, 09:24 PM	#67
Lotesse of the House of Fëanor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,150	Hey look! __________________ Few people have the imagination for reality. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

09-10-2007, 05:07 AM	#68
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	I wonder if the first one is a photomanipulation, I've never seen that 'model' of frog in blue, only in greens. Then again, there are so many different frogs I have never seen before that I may very well be mistaken. (EDIT: Unless, as I realise now, it lacks the yellow pigment in it skin, making it look blue instead of green. This abnormality does occur in some species of frogs that I know of.) __________________ We are not things.

01-05-2008, 06:23 PM	#69
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Shameless bump, yes I know. For those interested in frogs, keep your TV's tuned for the British BBC 1, the 28th of January. Because that will be the start of the very final wildlife series from living legend sir David Attenborough, named Life in Cold Blood. It will deal with reptiles and amphibians, so yes, you guessed it: definitely frogs too. Considering his other documentary series were quite breath-taking, I'm guessing this one will be no different (and at least it has been finished before the BBC decided to reduce their natural history devision to a third, such a shame). If this article: Last golden frog will be anything to go by, it will likely contain the last footage ever of the Panamanian golden frog in the wild. By now, every individual they can find will have been rounded up and collected in breeding programmes, to save them from certain extinction as that bloody fungus sweeps through their territory. Stories like that do make my heart bleed. So watch and be educated. There will be a test later on. Just kidding. __________________ We are not things.

02-29-2008, 06:35 AM	#73
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	I wanted to post about this before, but thought I'd wait to this specific day so it wouldn't just be Eärniel going on about frogs, yet again. Why today? Today is the 29th of February, Leap Day. And 2008 has been named Year of the Frog by conservation organisations such as Amphibian Ark (check out their website, interesting and they have about the cutest logo ever) in a bid to bring the plight of the frogs into limelight. Frogs are an important part of our ecosystems (and no, not just because I like them) and they're disappearing at an alarming rate. The Amphibian Ark project is geared at starting up breeding facilities for endangered frog-species to prevent them from going extinct all together when their wild populations dissapear. (It may sound overly dramatic, but as far as the Panamanian golden frog is concerned (see above) this is already reality.) Eärniel approves of this project. The website also have a petition to call for more action for the frogs. (hint, hint, puppy eyes. ) Have a look and spread the word. __________________ We are not things.

02-29-2008, 07:34 AM	#74
The last sane person The Black Númenórean Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 6,773	Well, that and today is the birthday of Entmoot member MrGreenFrog. How auspicious! Edit: Signed it. __________________ Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. Last edited by The last sane person : 03-04-2008 at 02:49 AM.

02-29-2008, 03:36 PM	#77
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	Signed the petition, and made a small donation. Thanks for the heads up. __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords

03-01-2008, 07:33 AM	#79
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Thanks guys. 't is much appreciated. __________________ We are not things.

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