cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
More People Eat Frog Legs Than You Think – and That's a Problem - National Interest
Humans are harvesting frogs at unsustainable rates.
Amphibians such as frogs, toads, newts and salamanders, are the world’s most threatened group of vertebrates. Of the 6,800 species assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 41% are classified as threatened. The main threats to their survival are well known and include disease, pollution, habitat loss and climate change.
Frogs also face another, less-known threat: Humans collect many frog species as food. This trade spreads disease, destroys their habitats and reduces control of mosquitoes and agricultural pests that frogs eat. But there has been very little research on how it affects frog populations.
In a newly published study, we conducted field research in Turkey, where frog harvesting has taken place for some 40 years, to assess its effect. We found that at current rates, Anatolian water frogs – the main species harvested in Turkey – may become extinct in heavily harvested areas within the next 15 to 30 years. But our research also shows that this harvest could be managed more sustainably, which would benefit both frogs and people in the region.
Humans are harvesting frogs at unsustainable rates.
Amphibians such as frogs, toads, newts and salamanders, are the world’s most threatened group of vertebrates. Of the 6,800 species assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 41% are classified as threatened. The main threats to their survival are well known and include disease, pollution, habitat loss and climate change.
Frogs also face another, less-known threat: Humans collect many frog species as food. This trade spreads disease, destroys their habitats and reduces control of mosquitoes and agricultural pests that frogs eat. But there has been very little research on how it affects frog populations.
In a newly published study, we conducted field research in Turkey, where frog harvesting has taken place for some 40 years, to assess its effect. We found that at current rates, Anatolian water frogs – the main species harvested in Turkey – may become extinct in heavily harvested areas within the next 15 to 30 years. But our research also shows that this harvest could be managed more sustainably, which would benefit both frogs and people in the region.