Just how much the planet is being polluted might be hard to determine because we each do not see firsthand where all these chemicals are going. Even harder to ascertain is how pollution subtly undermines the functioning and supporting capacity of the environment. But one thing is for certain: amphibians (frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians) are disappearing at a phenomenal rate all around the world.
The "publicity machine" seems to be stuck on the idea of one disease (chytrid fungus or Batrachochytridium dendrobatidis) being responsible for that decline, but there are many, many other causes as well. Here in tropical Queensland, chytrid is hardly on our radar.
And amphibians are not the only animal that is subject to threatening processes. Land snails, birds, bees, coral reefs, insects, and many other animals are all under threat. It is the trend indicated by all these declines that shows that too much interference has occured and that systems are starting to break down.
It is impossible for one person or group to fix everything so our group has concerned itself mostly with amphibians. We are trying to provide a variety of information and techniques in this site that you can use to help your local amphibian and its living space (see our How to Help section). Frogs are actually a useful ambassador in that respect: just concentrate on helping frogs and you will actually be helping the whole planet.
This threats section will describe some of the causes for frog decline but please be sure to visit the many other sections in this site, especially all the pages in the How to Help section as well as the complete Australian Diseases section.
