PBS - Frogs: The Thin Green Line premieres Sunday, April 5 at 8pm

[jmoose]

Just want to give you guys the heads up on this new show on PBS - April 5th at 8pm (ET) Frogs: The Thin Green Line

(quote from the site)
Frogs have been living on this planet for more than 360 million years, and over the centuries, evolved into some of the most wondrous and diverse creatures on earth. Today, however, all their remarkable adaptations and survival tactics are failing them. Recent discoveries are startling: more than a third of all amphibians – most of which are frogs and toads – have already been lost, and more are disappearing every day. It is an environmental crisis unfolding around the globe, traveling from Australia to North and South America. Where the calls of frogs once filled the air, scientists now hear only silence. Ecosystems are beginning to unravel, and the potential to discover important medical cures may be lost forever. Habitat loss, pollution and a human population that has doubled in the past 50 years have set the stage for their diminished numbers. But now, a fungus called chytrid has been identified as the major culprit, and so far the spread of the fungus can’t be stopped.

Chytrid continues to move quickly, extinguishing entire frog populations in a matter of months. Scientists have taken drastic measures to counteract it, such as evacuating frogs from the wild and sheltering them in a sterile environment. The El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center in Central Panama, for example, houses 58 species of frogs in their facility, including the rare golden frog, which no longer exists in the wild. To date, the only chytrid-free area left in Panama is the Burbayar Forest, a thriving environment still full of healthy, unaffected frogs.

Frogs may seem small and insignificant, but their bodies may hold the key to important new discoveries in medical research. Scientists are finding that chemical compounds found in frogs’ skins can be used to treat pain and block infections, and are even being explored as HIV treatments. Our chances for the discovery of future medical miracles may be slipping away with the disappearance of these tiny creatures in our midst.

Their impact on the world’s ecosystems is great. Frogs sit right in the middle of the food chain, and without them, other creatures are disappearing, too. We are only just beginning to understand what life may be like without them. The race is on to stem the tide – before the next frog crosses the thin, green line.

[crw.dft]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm gonna have to set the dvr for sure.

[Dendro Dave]

Well my thread seems to have gotten most of the attention, but this guy beat me by several days so he should get some "props" as i believe the kids say now adays...So while i have mostly avoided the rep system i'm making an exception this time

Good job!

[McBobs]

Has anyone seen this yet? I watched it on Sunday with my dad and really thought they did a great job with the documentary. Very interesting and lots of great information included.

-Matt

[Philsuma]

It is a "Must Watch"......for any animal enthusiast or concerned person.

[stemcellular]

Frogs: The Thin Green Line - Video: Full Episode - Amphibian Extinction - Chytrid Fungus | Nature

online video is available here!

[iljjlm]

Thanks for the link. Just watched it. Great video. Found out I was pronouncing chytrid wrong. I have always read/said it with a c (like citrus) instead of a k. Oh well.
Dave

[MonarchzMan]

Yep, latin-based names the -ch makes the hard K sound regardless of what follows it

[atlfrog]

It was great. Thanks for reminding me that it was on. My life went from non-existant to full throttle in the last 2 weeks so it was good to remind me about something I love which are amphibians, OBVIOUSLY not Chytrid.

[jmoose]

Yeah it was a darn very good show.
Especially I am glad to know the Australian team is working hard to bring Corroboree frog population back.
Hope their strategy works and the researcher's kids can enjoy seeing them in a field near future.
I fell in love with that frog first time I saw on internet and still want to see them in person!

Old thread about Corroboree with video --> Southern corroboree frog