Global amphibian assessment

07 Oct 2023 3 mins Download PDF

Global amphibian assessment

1. The assessment is coordinated by the Amphibian Red List Authority, a branch of the Amphibian Specialist Group of the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission.
2. The assessment has revealed that,
   1. 2 out of every 5 amphibians are threatened with extinction. 
   2. Between 2004 and 2022, a few critical threats have pushed more than 300 amphibians closer to extinction.
   3. Climate change was the primary threat for 39% of these species, as particularly sensitive to changes in their environment
   4.  41% of all amphibian species that have been assessed are currently globally threatened
   5. Other common threats include:
      1. Habitat destruction and degradation due to agriculture, infrastructure development and other industries, affect 93% of all threatened amphibian species.
      2. Disease caused by the chytrid fungus has decimated amphibian species in Latin America, Australia, and the United States.
      3. overexploitation 
   6. 3 out of every 5 salamander species are threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction and climate change, making them the world’s most threatened group of amphibians. 
   7. Four amphibian species have gone extinct since 2004:
      1. Chiriquí harlequin toad (Atelopus chiriquiensis)
      2. sharp-snouted day frog (Taudactylus acutirostris)
      3. Craugastor myllomyllon
      4. Jalpa false brook salamander (Pseudoeurycea exspectata)