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Originally Posted by StuartDH
Of all the amphibians in the world, which one would you most like to see?
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I'd like to see the Monteverde"Golden toad" from Costa Rica, Central america, now thought to be extinct, they disappeared quite suddenly, it'd be great to rediscover them though.
Quote:
From Bagheera.com
"In 1987, the golden toad was closely studied by an American ecologist and herpetologist who, by chance, happened upon its breeding spectacle. She described it as brief and breathtaking; the males looked like "little jewels on the forest floor." She was so fascinated that she applied for a grant to return and study the toads.
In 1988, no toads appeared when the seasonal rains started. During several months of searching the Monteverde forest, scientists found only ten golden toads, and none were breeding. In 1989, only one lonely toad was found where once there were hundreds. Despite much searching, not a single golden toad has been seen since then".
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I've been to the Monteverde cloud forest and have seen the story first hand, so can appreciate the scientists sheer helplessness involved, from a place that is virtually untouched and a place that is studied extensively by scientists and ecologists yet a creature like this can disappear so suddenly right from under our noses. It puts a point across, just how fragile nature can sometimes be.