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Evan Twomey / WWF
The frog known as Ranitomeya benedicta is one of more than 1,200 species discovered in South America's Amazon region over the past decade. Click through a slideshow featuring the amazing species of the Amazon.
The World Wildlife Fund is highlighting the more than 1,200 species that have been discovered in the Amazon region over the past decade, in hopes of gaining support for protecting such species over the decades to come.
The WWF's 58-page report -- titled "Amazon Alive: A Decade of Discoveries 1999-2009" -- is being released to coincide with this month's conference on the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan. Representatives from scores of nations around the world are meeting to consider strategies for preserving biodiversity, in the Amazon and elsewhere.
The Amazon rainforest, which takes in areas of nine countries (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), is one of the world's biggest hot spots for diversity. Those 1,200 species average out to one discovery every three days. But the Amazon is also under threat: Over the past 50 years, at least 17 percent of the rainforest has been destroyed, the WWF says. That translates into an area twice the size of Spain.
"What's scary to me is the fact that we're losing so much habitat every day in the Amazon," Meg Symington, the WWF's managing director for the Amazon, told me today. "If we keep destroying the habitat, we don't even know how many species we're losing."
Traditionally, one of every 10 known species in the world has been found in the Amazon. "Once everything is known, I expect it will be more like 30 percent of all species on Earth," she said.
Some of those species could be important for human welfare as well as the health of the Amazonian ecosystem. As an example, Symington pointed to poison-tree frogs such as Ranitomeya benedicta, discovered in 2008 in Peru. "They have chemicals in their skin that turn out to be very important for medical purposes," she said.
So what do all these species need to be protected from? The threats include deforestation for cattle ranching and agriculture, as well as mining and infrastructure projects that have been planned with too much emphasis on economic development and not enough emphasis on environmental protection. For example, a tree porcupine on the WWF's species list was discovered during wildlife rescue efforts at a hydropower dam site.
The boom in biofuels has led to an even more intense Amazonian land rush, Symington said. "What was once very inaccessible is now part of the global economy," she observed.
The "Amazon Alive" study was commissioned with the idea of releasing it during the biodiversity conference, Symington said. WWF is hoping this month's meeting will spark new efforts to protect the world's biological wellsprings. "Since the Amazon really is an ecosystem that transcends national boundaries, we think there are many opportunities for regional collaboration on protected areas," she said.
That's the approach that the WWF has been taking, illustrated by its collaboration with a Latin American regional network known as Redparques. Symington said she'd like to see the countries represented at the biodiversity meeting "recommit themselves to aggressive targets" for habitat protection -- targets that have been unmet so far.
To get a sense of what's at stake, check out this slideshow of exotic species from the WWF's list. And then feast your eyes on these other examples of biodiversity:
- New species from New Guinea
- Scientists finish first sea census
- Amphibians wanted ... alive
- Three 'lost' amphibians found
- Deep-sea creatures of the Coral Sea
- The top 10 new species from 2009
- Beautiful biodiversity in Brazil
- New Guinea's 'Lost World' revisited
- Indonesia's 'Garden of Eden'
- Marine marvels from Papua New Guinea
- Biological treasures from Borneo
- Celebrities of the Celebes Sea
- 12 froggy finds from India
- Fantastic frogs from Colombia
- Aliens lurk in Antarctic depths
- The strange species of Suriname
- Vulnerable new species in Brazil
- Discoveries from Vietnam's 'Green Corridor'
- Endangered species of the Mekong Delta
- New species from Australia's coral reefs
- Thousands of new species in ocean's depths
- Hundreds of new species amid the Himalayas
- New species found Down Under .. underground
- Eight 'extinct' species found alive and kicking
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Thanks Allan for taking that route. It's always a great reminder.
Just looking at this thing called Ranitomeya benedicta, makes it pretty clear that we should be doing anything possible to save these species. What a beauty!
"New species discovered in Amazon every three days"
So it's not the end of the world? Why didn't WikiLeaks release this info first?
AT YET we continue to cut and burn this single greatest resource OF mankind .
DUMMIES
Mother nature is amazing! Just when we think we have destroyed the earth or a portion of it, she comes right back at us and shows us she`s got way more things in her reserves that we haven`t even laid our eyes on yet!! Who are we to think we could ever 'take down' Mother Earth???? She was around billions of years before us and went thru stuff way more horrific than we can even dream of, and she still survived...rolled with the tide, morphed herself into something newer,stronger etc...we sure do think alot of ourselves, to think we could bring Mother Earth to her knees???? No way Jose`!!!
That may be true, however WE won't be able to survive as a species because of the changes we are making on this planet.
No it's not the end of the world, just life as we know it. Mother nature is gearing up, thus all the new species !!!
So ow did Noah find them in order to save them on his ark? TEE HEE!!!
Noah, yelled out, COME TO ME ALL MY JUNGLE FRIENDS!!!! You know like in Ace Ventura.......Bumble Bee Tuna!!!
So one scientist turns to another/
"Hey. Did you see that native kid that had a box of acrylic paints in his loin cloth pocket?"
"You don't think he's be running around painting frogs. Do ya?"
So nice to look at something that is not political. Power to the frogs!
Since the beginning of time species have come and gone, that why I don't put much stock in trying to save any particular one from extinction. All species run their time limit including the human species.
Not caring is not an the attitude to have. Too bad your type of attitude cant become extinct.
That is true but man wasnt around in the beginning of time, man causing species to become extinct is not a part of nature because man is above nature as he has the ability to completely destroy his surroundings.
But of course when you are on a path of self satisfaction without regard to others or the impact beyond your own satisfaction and enjoyment then that of course explains your attitude.
Change can happen with one person, but the attitude that what is fated will happen is a joke, all it takes is a little effort and caring and nothing is impossible.
So for the non-scientists out there I will explain a few things. New species are being discovered as fast as they are being exterminated, no matter what Glen Beck tells you. Last time I checked he is not a scientist and probably failed his biology class, so why are we listening to biology class drop-outs like they actually can have a valid opinion on this subject.
It is global warming caused by mans exessive release of CO2 and other pollutants into our atmosphere which traps the suns heat, I think we have all gotten in our cars on a cool sunny day and yet our car is nice and toasty same effect. This is pushing the search for new species.
Most of these new species live in restricted areas, meaning there whole existence of their species occurs in very small areas, in one tree, or in one pond. Although new species are discovered there may only be a few hundred of these species alive, and so are endangered as soon as they are discovered. And if loggers came threw and clear cut this area they would make extinct all these animals.
And that is why scientists predict the extintion rate that we have. Because every time a mountain is clear cut we have lost all those species, cause like I stated that mountain had its own set of species.
And every species on this earth are precious gods creations, and for people to say hey I thought all the animals were going extinct what is the deal here need to take some biology night classes cause you dont understand it at all.
And for people to mention harry reid assistant when the article is about species should be well I want to say brought out into the public square and throw tomatoes at them. I guess it does make it obvious that this person failed their science classes.
Yep. One new species found every 3 days, one old one extincted every day. Good job, humans!
Before you decide to call yourself a scientist, try a spell check, grammar check and some ability to not write like a 10 year old child. Trying to pretend that anyone on these forums is going to buy your BS by making up nonsense or your petulant arrogance is a waste of space, time and electrons.
Oh it will and so will yours.
It's mans do-gooder, I know best attitude that is responsible for the number and intensity of forest fires and floods.
Dear I'm Smarter Than You,
You're not! Species on this planet come and go. One species pushes out another, consumes another, etc. It's still survival of the fittest despite all our political correctness. If you're a scientist, how many species have inhabited the Earth over the past 4.5 billion years? Where did they go? I hope we're not responsible for all of them. Mother Nature will take care of us after She's had enough of all of us.
Also, if Glen Beck is not a scientist, than what is Al Gore? Everybody believes Gore's global warming crap, but who is Gore? A politician that needed a job. Don't know who is worse these days, a politician or a journalist.
Cajun,
You're spot on!
Wonder how those new frogs would taste fried up with a little Tobasco? How about finding a new species of crawfish....bigger and tastier. Oh yes....they're called lobsters.
Side story....a few years back, up here in Maine, a group of "do gooders" went to a local super market and bought all the lobsters (~$500) and promptly went to the ocean and released them. The idiots didn't remove the rubber bands from their claws. The bands are put on the claws to prevent them from eating each other in the tanks. Looks like the lobsters had a good lobster dinner.
Guess how long they would have survived?
just in case you didnt know, the human race is not part of nature, your survival of the fittest argument only holds true for those creatures that are part of nature.
No animal in nature can reach the levels of destruction on natural habitat that man can. Hence man is no longer part of nature.
Man causing species to become extinct thru clear cutting, burning of forests is not an act of nature. Man is like a virus on the planet. A virus will infect a host until that host dies, this is what man is doing to the planet, nature is all about balance. We are so far beyond natures management that the only way nature could control us is by the planet dying (as in unable to support most life)
The earth will always be here the question is will we be. Its comes down to will we get past or consume what we want or will we learn to strike a balance with our environment.
Time will tell but dont fool yourself by thinking man is part of the natural balance of nature.
Pirate,
I agree with your comments on natures balance, etc., but I believe your logic is false.
There is bacteria, viruses, fungus and parasites that can wipe out entire species, both plant and animal, and decimate the earth. Look at the Plagues of Europe and Asia. Even the Plague carrying rats sucummed to the disease. Therefore according to your logic, those Plague creating creatures should not be part of nature as well.
The success of a species is determined by it's ability to evolve and adapt to it's environment. Humans have been able to evolve (if you believe in evolution) and adapt to be able to survive in any environment on the planet.
If we're not part of nautre, then where did we come from and how did we get here?
In many ways we are a part of nature; but we can also destroy it. Nature is not about balance. It is about competition, which often produces balance but sometimes doesn't.
In all ways we are part of nautre.
Wrong fred, in regards to viruses and bacteria they are not intelligent, humanity is, Humanity is above nature, you go ahead and name one creature on this planet that even remotely approaches mankind's destructiveness. Name one species that creates such filth and toxic waste, that can contaminate entire ecosystems.
Sorry but we used to be part of nature when we were primitive in living in caves and hunting. the only human species to ever be an actual part of nature after those times were American Indians and other tribal Indians around the world as they lived in balance with nature.
They took what they needed to survive and nothing more, they didnt waste like mankind does today.
Humanity of today is so well beyond nature and its natural balance. You can delude youself that it isnt so but our society is inherantly descructive to the natural balance of the planet.
Not sure who edits the headlines here, but the Windows Live news headlines that got me here said a new species discovered every three MINUTES, not DAYS.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/science/earth/30forest.html?_r=3&hp
We're still discovering new species on our planet, yet having explored so very little of our own solar system, nevermind the galaxy or universe, there are people living less than 80 years at a time who confidently proclaim there is no God.
Hi Alan!
Because of seeing the sideshows over the last year, I'm definitely in love with frogs!
The first one is one of the most beautiful animals on the planet!
Yes, that's a nice one... Great to hear from you, Darrah!
I hear Kermit the frog endorsed this Article! heh heh