Introduction about Amphibians

Amphibians are four-legged vertebrates. These animals are very special in the sense that they can survive both on land and in water. Most amphibians are born with gills, and soon after, as they become an adult, they develop lungs. Amazingly, besides that, amphibians have a special ability that most animals do not have, that is to be able to breathe through their thin skin.  Various examples include frogs, toads and salamanders.

They are cold-blooded, using the environment to regulate their body temperature. Thus, pollutants can enter their body readily through their skin, which makes them especially sensitive to environmental changes. Therefore, the states of health of amphibians can give us a lot of information about the surrounding environment.

For the past few years, dramatic declines have been eminent in amphibian populations including dips in their population and huge localized extinction from locations in all parts of the world. Amphibian declines are perceived as one of the most critical threats to global biodiversity. That simply means that without the existence of amphibians, other species may also be affected either directly or indirectly and may become endangered or in the worst instances, become extinct.

Many of the causes are by the actions of man such as the modification and destruction of their homes, pollution, introduction of foreign species and the depletetion of the ozone layer. Natural causes include climate changes and diseases like chytridiomycosis. However, at the moment, no one knows what exactly is the reason for amphibian declines and it is still a serious topic for ongoing discussion.

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