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Disappearing frogs
#1
It is no secret, frogs are disappearing. There numbers and even the number of species are declining at an alarming rate.
We have used and abused frogs for many years. Whole populations have declined because of our actions. Now we have destroyed ecosystems to the point where frogs can't survive. Frogs and amphibians are particularly susceptible to pollution. They absorb things through their skin. They are susceptible to climate change. As areas dry out the frogs die. 


http://www.firstpost.com/india/disappear...25363.html


We wonder why we are having so much trouble with mosquitos and mosquito borne diseases, but we have killed off frogs, their greatest predator. Bad news, the other big eater of mosquitos is the bat and they are not doing well either.

We are creating a new world that won't be so nice for us. Many creatures like frogs have kept pests under control. Without them we have a problem. We can't use pesticides to control pests if we don't want to lose bees and other pollinators. 
We have created a problem and unless we work fast some damage will be irreversible. 

I wonder who will be the last generation to see a frog. 
People laugh at the Mars mission and say we can't live on a bleak planet like that. We better be able to live on a bleak planet. 
We sure enough are turning this into a bleak planet. We have forgotten how fragile ecological balances are. If we fail to act the loss of frogs and a great many other things are inevitable.
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Catherine

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#2
I am not surprised to hear this.
When I was a child, frogs were plentiful. There were so many of them down by a little stream near our house. That stream wasn't much more than a field-drain, but there were so many frogs.

There might still be some in my area. I don't know. But a dew-pond up on the hill behind my house now has no signs of frogs or spawn there. I think the last time I saw frog spawn was about 2009 or 2010. I have seen no signs of them anywhere else, and the little brook which runs through for miles has none, nor any fish. There are fish in the river further on, but I have never seen frogs there.

Yes when we disturb the balance of Nature by over use of chemicals (and basically dont care!) we are slowly taking away life on our Earth. Sometimes it's not even that slow. Species just disappear, and humans are too interested in marching on thoughtlessly and unkindly!
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#3
Ask politicians in almost any country of your choice about frogs disappearing and they will reply, "Hmmm....But our priorities have to be reducing unemployment, improving the nation's economy, correct taxation levels and so on. We don't have the time for frogs". In other words: they don't care if frogs disappear.

This a sad reflection of wider society, too. Most people are more concerned with their jobs, paying bills, getting their next Big Mac....

There are some people who look at the wider picture (bless them!). But they are in the minority.
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#4
You are both right. However what most people are not understanding is that more jobs and taxation levels and our selfish needs are linked to the well being of the planet. If we destabilize the planet and the climate we are going to have bigger issues that taxation levels. We might find ourselves looking for higher ground and wondering what we will eat. Frogs don't seem that important to most people, but we won't know until it is too late if we have destroyed a keystone species. It is like the children's game Jenga. The sticks are all piled one on top of another in a tower. You pull out sticks until the pile collapses. You just don't know which stick will bring the whole pile down if it is removed.

That is what we are doing by letting species disappear and destroying parts of ecosystems. Somewhere in all this is a key component and letting that disappear will bring changes we won't want and we won't be able to ignore.

There are good people working to save our ecology and I hope there are enough and I hope they have enough time.
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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