February 20, 2008 - Earth is facing its largest mass extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs. From one-third to one-half of the planet’s 6,000 amphibian species – frogs and toads, salamanders and newts, and caecilians, which have thrived for 360 million years – are in danger of extinction. To mitigate this crisis, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has joined together with the world’s leading conservationists to name 2008 “The Year of the Frog” in hopes of raising both awareness and the critical funding needed to address the crisis.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will be holding a media information news conference at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 to brief local media on the importance of recognizing the “Year of the Frog.” This important news conference will be held in the Zoo’s Safari Lodge, in the African Rift Valley exhibit. Zoo Director of Conservation and Animal Health Dr. Della Garelle will present the facts, figures and photographs of this amphibian alert in a PowerPoint presentation and field questions from media. The Zoo requests that all interested media parties arrive to set up video and recording equipment in time to afford a 10:00 a.m. sharp start to the news conference.

Photo and interview opportunity:
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
“YEAR OF THE FROG” NEWS CONFERENCE
10:00 a.m.
Media: Please meet at the Zoo’s front gate no later than 9:45 a.m. for transport to Safari Lodge

Coal miners used to bring caged canaries into the mines where they worked. If toxic gases killed the canaries, the miners knew to evacuate quickly. Amphibians are often called “the world’s canaries in the coal mine.” Today hundreds of amphibian species are in decline and the alarm bell is sounding that something is terribly amiss. Amphibians' biggest danger is chytrid fungus; other threats include habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change.

A broad strategy, called the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP), will unfold during 2008 to protect habitat and address other environmental threats. ACAP’s most urgent initiative, the Amphibian Ark, has developed and begun to guide a short-term captive management of the most threatened amphibians, making possible the long-term survival of species for which adequate protection in the wild is not currently possible. It is being orchestrated cooperatively by the Amphibian Ark is a partnership between the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, and IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has joined in this worldwide conservation effort to bring attention to the current extinction of the world’s amphibian population. Frogs and toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians, which have thrived for 360 million years – are in danger of extinction. Half of the 6,000 amphibian species are threatened with extinction; 165 species are already extinct; and another 500 species cannot stave off extinction in the wild and require intervention outside their habitat, such as breeding in zoos like Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The Zoo has already taken on the task of sheltering and breeding two rare Rocky Mountain species, Wyoming toads and boreal toads. Examples of these two species will be on display at the February 26 news conference.

Why should you care? Amphibians play an important role in the food chain, serving as predators and prey to help maintain the delicate natural balance. They eat pest insects, which also minimizes the spread of disease, especially malaria. Toads and other amphibians' skins also excrete substances that have great promise in curing human diseases, including AIDS.
 

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