Scientists from around the world are setting out to search for “lost” amphibians.
Conservation International announced that it is partnering with the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group to search for 100 species of animals considered potentially extinct but possibly hiding out in remote places. They are searching in 14 countries on five continents.
Considered the first-ever coordinated effort to find such a large number of creatures, it comes as global amphibian populations decline rapidly with more than 30 percent of all species facing extinction.
Robin Moore, an amphibian conservation officer with Conservation International, told AOL News that many of the species are presumed extinct, “but we wanted to see if some of them are still clinging on.”
He said he and the other researchers are eager to rediscover the animals, even though science usually focuses more on finding new species than tracking old ones.
“Finding new species is kind of the holy grail for scientific exploration, so maybe there is not as much motivation for going out and finding one that has already been found,” Moore said. “But I think rediscovering an existing species is as exciting ¿ if not more exciting ¿ than discovering new ones.”
Finding the “lost” amphibans may give scientists clues as to why some of the species are surviving, such as if they are more resistant to disease or climate changes, and others are not. It could also help increase attention in conservation and protection efforts.
Among the most wanted amphibians listed by Conservation International are the Golden toad, the Sambas Stream Toad, the Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad and the Scarlet Toad.
The blog Treehugger.com said researchers’ finds have included a pea-sized frog that belongs to the microhylid species, which is made up of miniature frogs under 15 millimeters. It is the smallest frog known to exist on the Asian, European and African continents.
Scientists found them by listening to the micro-frogs’ call.