The Last Croak

The Slow Extinction of Frogs and Toads

Since 1970, we’ve lost around 200 species of frogs, including the Rabb’s fringe-limbed tree frog pictured above, which went extinct in 2016. Frogs are disappearing at rapid rates, more so than any other type of animal on earth. There’s many complex, diverse reasons for these frog species going extinct, most of which are directly correlated to human activity.

Amphibians themselves have incredibly sensitive skin, and each species requires an incredibly specific environment to dwell in. Everything from pH to humidity affects amphibian well-being. Unfortunately due to deforestation, building, and many other human activities, many specialized frog and toad species find themselves driven out of their native land, and unable to adapt to other environments. Runoff into ponds and streams can cause the extinction of an entire local amphibian population because of their sensitivity. Some species may be able to move and adapt, but other species, especially in tropical areas, that encompass just one population, are very likely to go extinct.

Climate change is a major driver of this mass extinction, with rising temperatures causing disease outbreaks and unlivable conditions. Acidification of many bodies of water wipes out frog spawn, dashing any hope for many populations. Higher temperatures often result in droughts, which dries up smaller creeks and ponds that are necessary for tadpole growth in the high summer. I myself have witnessed this, wherein two summers ago, bullfrog tadpoles were prolific in this small forest pond. But then a heat wave came, which lasted for weeks. By the end of it the pond was dry, and there was no sign of life. The bullfrogs never came back, but wood frogs soon took over that pond, but they’ll never croak as loud as those rowdy bullfrogs.

Climate change and its rising temperatures have also caused an outbreak of chytrid fungus, which causes the chytridiomycosis disease in amphibians. This disease has been rapidly spreading through many populations, with many populations and even species being wiped out by this singular fungus. Chytridiomycosis affects the skin of amphibians, making it difficult, or even impossible, for an individual to breathe and drink water. The outcome of chytridiomycosis is grim, with many species having an estimated mortality rate of 100% once afflicted with the disease.

Unfortunately, as an amateur conservationist and amphibian enthusiast myself, I’m close to losing hope for many of these species. The most vulnerable will have to be taken into captivity, wherein the prognosis is only slightly better than the wild. Humans have caused too much damage for there to be one easy, sweeping solution for any of this. An individual, or even an organization of scientists won’t matter in this situation. We need worldwide governmental action, but no matter how much we campaign, it seems as though that is impossible. I guess oil, trade, the economy, etc etc is more important to them than the our own wellbeing and the planet’s wellbeing.

To end, I’m going to highlight a few of the frog and toad species we’ve lost because of ignorant government inaction, corporate tyranny, and political corruption. Thank you Koch brothers for making a much needed market for wildlife conservation!

Golden Toad, last seen on May 15, 1989

Golden Coqui

Wyoming Toad, extinct in the wild

Here’s the entire list, it’s not all of the extinct species, but I wish it was, too many frogs and toads have died: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recently_extinct_amphibians

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_toad

Disease: Chytrid

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/radical-conservation/2016/oct/27/rabbs-fringe-limbed-treefrog-frog-amphibians-extinct-extinction-media

https://animals.howstuffworks.com/endangered-species/frog-extinction.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recently_extinct_amphibians

 

Week 6: Sea Turtles

Sleeping Green Turtle in Maui (2019).

This entry will be a lot different that my past blogs, instead I’ll be discussing how all my experiences with sea turtles have contributed to my decision to pursue wildlife and conservation biology. Also, all photos are my own this time!

Overall there’s 7 distinct species of sea turtles; loggerhead, green, hawksbill, leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley, and the flatback. Unfortunately, the only species not listed in the IUCN is the flatback, which is not endemic to U.S. waters. The rest are either noted as threatened or endangered.

I could just recite fun facts for the rest of this, but you can’t truly know an animal just based on its Wikipedia page, experiencing one in its natural environment is the best way a person can connect with an animal.

It was August 2019, and I was visiting my Mom’s home state of Hawai’i for the second time. The first I was too little to remember our time in her home island of Oahu, but this time on Maui, I can still remember everything.

I can visualize our condo surrounded by every color of lizard and gecko, invading our porch for afternoon sun-bathing. Those lanky birds that snapped up those lizards, and then the feral cats that chased those birds. Oh the circle of life in resort-run Wailea. Unfortunately, I was nervous about such a sunny place at first, as I only wore glasses then, meaning I couldn’t see in the water, and on land I’d have to wear ridiculous hats that barely blocked the sun. Thankfully prescription scuba goggles came in handy for the first, so I could view the reefs and scold the ignorant tourists who stand on coral formations.

The second I dipped my head in the water with those goggles, my world became clearer, but not for long. Between my legs was a green sea turtle, just chilling on the sandy bottom. Naturally I freaked out, blubbering through my snorkel to my nearby family and kicking up sand. The turtle swam off, and I was on its tail until it disappeared into the cracks of the reef.

Throughout my time on Wailea’s beaches, I encountered or at least saw over 10 turtles. This made me incredibly hopeful despite all the coverage of the status of turtles. Whenever I would go in that water, I would observe any turtle I saw, quietly following them with my brother in tow. I wanted to see what they ate, and why they were so healthy here. I pursued a passionate interest in simply understanding these animals, but I was most astounded by was their coolness with humans. I recall my brother was resting in the grassy shallows, and a large sea turtle approached him, even swimming after my brother when he attempted to avoid the turtle’s touch.

My brother with a sleeping Green sea turtle in Maui (2019).

It’s hard for me to put into words the beauty I was able to see in these turtles thriving in a relatively healthy coral environment (comparatively). But all I knew is that I needed to help other animals thrive against human threats.

Last summer, I bore witness to conservation in action when visiting The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida. There I was introduced to the true human impact on sea turtles, with many of the hospital residents injured by boat collisions and fishing activities.

Loggerhead sea turtle recovering, (2021).

It was there I was able to learn the basics of conservation work, and I was provided a more concrete direction through my passions and career choices. Thus, my path into the wildlife sciences was paved by turtles.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatback_sea_turtle

https://www.seeturtles.org/sea-turtle-species

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/kemps-ridley-turtle#:~:text=Kemp’s%20ridley%20sea%20turtles%20are,species%20for%20identification%20in%201906.

 

Week 5: Dumbo Octopus

Located all over the world in waters as deep as 1,000 to 7,000 meters (some species even living in the harsh hadal zones), Dumbo octopi are perhaps the cutest deep sea creatures. Currently, there’s about 13 individual species that fall under this Dumbo octopus a.k.a Grimpoteuthis umbrella, but they all share quite similar characteristics. They’re easily recognized by their giant ear fins, which help propel them in highly pressurized, freezing water, just like their Disney namesake. Of course, Dumbo octopi can never compete with elephants in size, as on average they’re about 7.9 to 12 inches and length, with the largest ever observed weighing in at 13lbs and 6ft 32 inches in length. But usually, they’re only a little bit larger than an adult guinea pig.

Unlike most animals, Dumbo octopi don’t have a set maturity time nor breeding season, instead reproduction happens continuously, as females can carry multiple eggs in various growth stages and can lay 1-2 eggs at a time. However, this is the extent of our knowledge of Dumbo octopi breeding, and their exact mating mechanisms are a mystery, except that the males do not have a hectocotylus for sperm transfer. The hectocotylus is a common feature in most octopi, and it is basically an extra arm which functions in breeding. Dumbos also lack maternal instincts, just leaving the hard eggs to hatch and produce fully functioning octopi.

In such difficult conditions, there’s a lack of both predators and prey for these octopi, yet their incredible adaptions allow for thriving populations. Their main threats aren’t humans, but large fish, sharks, sperm whales, and even seals. However, Dumbo octopi lack ink sacs or incredible camouflage to defend themselves, and can only depend on their gills for fast, sudden movements in order to escape predators. They also expand and contract their tentacle webbing and shoot water through their funnel to produce a sudden boost of movement, which is useful in escaping predators. Dumbo octopi utilize their arms a crawling fashion, and their dexterity helps them catch prey like crustaceans, isopods, and bristle worms. They tend to swallow their prey whole with characteristic beak-like mouths.

There’s also not much of a difference between males and females, but in some species males tend to have bigger tentacle suckers than females, but this varies from species to species.

Unfortunately, these cute little guys have a lifespan of only 3 to 5 years, but are able to sustain quite large populations due to their continuous reproduction. However, the species itself is quite rare to even witness, so research is quite limited, indicated by its missing placement on the IUCN’s Red List.

Thankfully, direct human action is no threat to these rare, wide-ranging octopi, yet climate change still remains a worry. In order to effectively conserve these species, more research is desperately needed on their population sizes. It is unknown how climate change will affect deep sea species, but it should be a major concern.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimpoteuthis

https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/dumbo_octopus

Everything You Need to Know About the Dumbo Octopus

Week 4: Chinese Giant Salamander

Straight out of the Jurassic period, these amphibians can grow up to 6 feet long, about 8 inches taller than me. So ladies, if you don’t like short kings, the Chinese Giant Salamander would definitely get your Tinder swipe! Though you’ll have to make it long distance, as these guys live in the rocky rivers of the mountainous Yangtze River Basin. They’ll also eat anything, and will even catch you frogs, worms, snails, crustaceans, frogs, and even other salamanders. They’re not prone to cooking though, as they simply just suck their food down, just like a vacuum. Their eyes are tiny, thus they rely on vibrations to sense the world around them. Giant salamanders are able to do this via sensory nodes which lie all across its body. They also use these nodes to hunt, which they do primarily at night. Though they spend their entire lives underwater, they lack gills, and instead absorb oxygen through pores in their skin, a feature that most amphibians have.

Though these salamanders may seem quite vulnerable to predation with their blindness and flabby bodies, they use camouflage to hide in muddy river bottoms, as well as a vicious bite and a large size which wards off many potential predators. Chinese Giant Salamanders come in colors from dark brown to black, with speckled reds and other brown tones in between. Another tactic the salamanders employ to combat predators is through the secretion of a sticky white substance, which originates in their skin. The main predator of Chinese Giant Salamanders is the Chinese Giant Salamander, as cannibalism is common among the species, especially in the Qinling-Dabashan range population.

These salamanders are incredibly sensitive to their environment, and their lives are regulated by water temperature. Mating season starts when the water temperature hits 68 degrees, which occurs around July to September. The usually separate male and female populations come together and share their territory (which is divided based on sex), and produce about 400-500 eggs, which is guarded by the male for about 50-60 days until hatching. The salamander eggs are quite small at first, only about a quarter of an inch, but by absorbing water, they soon double in size. At hatching, the larvae are only 1.2 inches long and have external gills, which will remain until the salamander’s third birthday. Once an individual reaches 5-6 years old and is about 16-20 inches, they’re able to reproduce. However, even at maturity, they never lose their traditional Chinese name 娃娃鱼, which means infant fish. The Chinese Giant Salamander is known for its vocality, making sounds resembling a crying human baby. Their exact lifespan is unknown, but they can live for at least 60 years, with some sources even depicting 200 year-old giant salamanders.

Chinese Giant Salamanders are listed as “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN, as a result of farming, overhunting, climate change, and habitat destruction. Unfortunately, these fellas are extremely rare to encounter, even in their natural habitats. Many people in these regions have reported not encountering a salamander for over 20 years, highlighting the vicious population declines as a result of humans. Even though 14 nature reserves specifically focused on helping Chinese Giant Salamanders have opened, their populations have decrease dramatically. Though the Chinese government has gone to great efforts to conserve the species, even listing it as a Class II Protected Species, they still fall victim to illegal hunting and pollution, with up to 100 salamanders killed by poachers per year. In the Qinghai province, no salamanders were documented, which was the result of mining efforts disrupting their habitats. Human activities such as deforestation, river agriculture, dam construction, and water pollution has greatly affected the salamander populations. Because they have porous skin, like most amphibians, they are easily affected by changes in concentration in water, the introduction of harmful chemicals and excess nutrients from runoff and erosion, which is furthermore exacerbated by deforestation, wherein forests and natural vegetation provides an important barrier to the harmful affects of runoff, especially in aquatic environments. Runoff can cause algal blooms, which can drastically alter the oxygen content in the salamanders’ river habitats, and can decrease their survival ability by hoarding this necessary oxygen. Amphibians also need to live in very specific, controlled environments, but with the rapid introduction of human-driven climate change, adaption to these rising temperatures and more acidic waters will be nearly impossible for the Chinese Giant Salamander. The species also faces the issue of overhunting and mass-farming, as they’re a staple in traditional Chinese medicine and a delicacy. Unfortunately, the majority of Chinese Giant Salamanders aren’t found in the wild or in zoos, but in farms, with about 2.6 million individuals being kept in farms in just Shaanxi, compared to the entire Chinese wild population of 50,000 salamanders. The Chinese government is also pressuring the release of captive salamanders, however this poses a massive risk for the wild population, as many captive individuals can pass on diseases such as Ranavirus.

Overall, the current outlook for Chinese Giant Salamanders is depressing, but there’s many steps that the Chinese government should take in order to save the remaining wild populations. It’s firstly important to separate the breeding stock from the wild population in order to slow the spread of disease. Limiting human activity around Chinese Giant Salamander habitats is essential for a brighter future for these salamanders. Just protecting the species is not enough, their habitat must also be protected. Extreme punishments for poachers must be pursued, especially considering there’s a plentiful farming stock (though salamander products are expensive). And if the population is able to recoup, then hunting regulations must be strictly established and enforced, especially around the salamanders’ mating season.

Researching the Chinese Giant Salamander was honestly quite upsetting to me, as it seems like humanity has failed this species. There was so many opportunities to protect these salamanders, but were all ignored in favor of human corporate gains. This is unfortunately common, especially in fast-developing countries like China, wherein environmentalism is sacrificed for a better standing in international relation, trade, and economics. It’s not too late for the Chinese Giant Salamander, but the clock is ticking.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_giant_salamander#Decline_in_population

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/chinese-giant-salamander

Week 3: Peacock Mantis Shrimp

You’ll most likely never see a more colorful- and more aggressive animal than the Peacock Mantis Shrimp. These small fellas are one of the most effective predators in the world, and are able to flaunt such bright shades because of their fierceness. With club-like claws, reminiscent of a Praying Mantis’ front limbs, mantis shrimp can strike their victims with punches up to 50 miles per hour (approximately the speed of a .22 bullet, and also the fastest punch of any living organism), vaporizing the water around the target while producing extreme heat and bright flashes of light. Basically, they shoot you, boil you, and blind you. Their claws are made of laminated hydroxyapatite, which is extremely dense and also incredibly resistant to fracturing. Because of this, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is being examined for bionic use in material engineering. When feeling lazy, a mantis shrimp will also impale its prey with its other appendages, which are all very sharp.

They also have no noted predators, but their remains have been found in large predators like the barracuda and bluefin tuna. They’re extremely aggressive to just about anything they come across, but thankfully they live in the shallows of the Pacific and Indian oceans, preferring a warm environment with plenty of mollusks and shrimp to dine on. They burrow near coral reefs, and are extremely territorial, striking anything in their vicinity. This also includes aquarium glass, making a Peacock Mantis Shrimp a rare sight to see, even in captivity.

Peacock Mantis Shrimp aren’t just successful hunters because of their physical strength, but because of their incredible eyesight. Their eyes are made up of 12 different cells, making them able to see ultraviolet light, circularly polarized light, and the entire visual spectrum. Most mammals, including humans, only have 3 cells in their eyes, and none can see all the types of light a mantis shrimp can. Because of their wide visual spectrum, mantis shrimp are able to make discreet and accurate observations about their prey. The eyes of Peacock Mantis Shrimp are so complex that they’ve been thoroughly studied and applied within the Optics field.

Sometimes Peacock Mantis Shrimp do show mercy to any brave enough to stumble upon their den, using their posterior muscles to generate vibrations to warn others away from their territory. But, of course, the mantis shrimp loves a bit of flair, producing great vibrations which causes the nearby ocean floor to rumble.

And it doesn’t just stop there, as mantis shrimp can even detect the slightest smells in water. The exoskeleton of the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is basically a colorful fortress, and use their bright hues to communicate with other shrimp and prey.

Not much is known about the lifecycle of the Peacock Mantis Shrimp, as it is difficult to observe both in captivity and in the wild. However, they spent their first few moments as an egg tucked within their protective mother’s front limbs. Peacock mantis shrimp are also known to form monogamous relationships, and are highly protective of their partners and eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the offspring can grow up to 1.2 to 7.1 inches in length, making them the biggest variation of the Mantis Shrimp family.

For such a magnificent specimen, the IUCN lists the Peacock Mantis Shrimp as “least concern,” as humans and other predators usually aren’t even able to get close to the little guys. However, they are consumed in Japan in a sushi dish called shako, and I truly applaud the bravery of Japanese fishermen for even getting close to a mantis shrimp.

In terms of conservation, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp is thriving, but in order to maintain their populations, climate change must be combatted to maintain a stable environment and prey population for the mantis shrimp.

In conclusion, please do not get near these guys, like at all.

Sources:

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2014/hruska_mark/interactions.htm#:~:text=Peacock%20mantis%20shrimp%20aren’t%20known%20to%20have%20many%20other,(Patek%20and%20Caldwell%202005).

https://aqua.org/explore/animals/peacock-mantis-shrimp

Peacock Mantis Shrimp

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/peacockmantisshrimp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odontodactylus_scyllarus

https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/fast-facts-peacock-mantis-shrimp

 

 

Week 2: Capybaras

After being subjected to several compilations of these giant coconuts by my boyfriend, I found out the world’s largest rodents are much different than their smaller New York family. They thrive in humid, wet climates and call South America their home, where they’re known as “carpincho” by locals. Capybara are semiaquatic and spend the majority of their lives on river banks, where they mainly rest under the dense coverings provided by explosive vegetation. These 174-pound giants are gentle, maintaining a herbivorous diet, which not only includes aquatic vegetation, but agricultural products like squash and watermelons (often breaking into farmers’ fields to acquire these delicacies). Just like my broke ass, capybaras eat two meals a day- one in the morning and one at night, but you don’t want these rodents at your dinner table. Capybaras often consume their own poop to aid in digestion, and to make it even better, when they’re not eating their own feces, they regurgitate their meals in order to fully chew the contents. Considering capybaras shovel about 6 to 8 pounds of grass a day, they make very greedy and gross dinner guests.

Capybaras have a very special relationship with water, as they don’t just depend on it for nutrition, but they spend much of their lives in water. It was bred for aquatics, with webbed feet for diving and a lung capacity to last for five minutes underwater. Just like a hippo, its nose, ears, and eyes are all located on the top of the head, allowing the capybara to observe its environment whilst nestled in the safety of water. Because their skin is so dry, capybaras constantly need moisture, often rolling in mud like a pig in order to keep moisturized.

Capybaras have an average lifespan of about 10 years, and because they reach maturity at about 15 months, a capybara will produce an average of 50 offspring during their life, having an average litter of 5 per year. They live in small packs of around 10 individuals, only associating among one another as capybaras are quiet creatures. These tiny groups are lead by a principle male, which the other females and submissive males all obey. The structure of the capybara family centers around the need to protect their young, as babies are susceptible to a variety of predators, from vicious caimans to sneaky ocelots. However, once a capybara reaches maturity, its only threats are jaguars, anacondas, and humans.

Though they’re classified as “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the rapid deforestation of South America’s vast jungles is set to shake up capybara populations. Much of this forest destruction happens illegally and the remaining land is used for unsustainable agricultural fields, which capybaras tend to raid. Their robberies have caused capybaras to be considered pests in many parts of South America, and many are hunted solely due to this status. Runoff from these fields have been causing mass die-offs of aquatic plants in the rivers and lakes many capybara populations depend on. Capybara hunting has been a tradition for many in South America, as capybara meat is healthy and easily available. Smaller hunting operations are no threat to the survival of capybaras, but mass ranching of capybaras for both their meat and hide does not bode well for wild populations.

Overall, the most effective way to protect capybaras is to conserve their habitats, which will in turn sustain the ecosystem and the organisms that capybara live with and depend on. Capybaras are very much products of their environment, and are specialized for these South American wetlands. Thus to keep capybara around, we must also save these healthy forests.

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/animal/capybara

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/capybara