Endangered Species :: essays research papers

Endangered Species   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One example that can affect mankind if not foretell it, that seems small and insignificant, is the disappearance of frogs. In 1970, a science students was studying frogs. While collecting information out in a field, she had to take care not to step on any of the frogs that she was studying as there was so many of them. Two years later, all she encountered were a few dying frogs with puffy red legs. The frogs' immune systems had been destroyed and they fell sick easily. In 1979, not a frog was to be found in the once abundant habitat. Scientists were puzzled because the area was in the wilderness, away from development, housing, and all other forms of destruction. But, this problem was not just local. A worldwide decrease has been discovered as the frogs are becoming harder and harder to find. Besides obvious reasons such as development, a true explanation cannot be found. Some scientists speculate that the frogs are delivering a message to humans about the environ ment. The message is a warning about the decline of biodiversity and disintegration of the total environment. But, these frogs are disappearing from even the most remote and pristine places on earth. Scientists are worried because frogs are the ideal creature to reflect the health of the environment. Frogs move through their life cycles from water to land, from plant-eater to insect-eater, covered by only a thin, permeable layer of skin that offers no protection from the elements or predators. They represent the proverbial canary in the coal mine. These fragile organisms create a paradox as they have survived over 200 million years while others such as the dinosaurs and wholly mammoths. They are found throughout the world and exist in all types of climates. Because the frogs are hardy, the changes in the environment may be more drastic than they appear. A task force has been formed to further investigate these disappearances. The Declining Amphibians Task Force has more than 1000 re searchers in 40 countries. The members of the task force fear that the frogs will not be save. It is a commercial game of money. If even the cute animals cannot be saved, the chances of people falling in love with frogs is very slim. But, it is more than saving an organism that people like to have around or see. For example, frogs give insight to what the future environment holds for humans.