Fossilised remains of Ichthyostega, a 1.5m tetrapod, (an early amphibian) that lived in Greenland some 362 million years ago confirms that amphibians are the oldest land vertebrates. At present there are over 6,300 amphibian species of which approximately 5,570 are anurans (frogs and toads). The other species are newts, salamanders and caecilians.

Amphibians play an important role in global ecology as indicators of environmental health and also as contributors to human health. Almost half of all amphibian species are now threatened with extinction. Halting and reversing this potential amphibian species extinction is probably the greatest challenge conservationists have ever faced.

It is vitally important that amphibian conservation is implemented as part of broader animal conservation strategies that focus not only on protecting particular amphibian species but take into consideration entire ecosystems.

Dart Frogs
Dart frogs are only found in Central and South America and according to the Global Amphibian Assessment, around 28% of the 234 known species of poison dart frogs are now threatened with extinction.

Many species of the Dendrobatidae family, specifically all Allobates, Dendrobates, Epipedobates and Phyllobates species are now included in the CITES Appendix II. This means that these endangered animals "are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled."

Native Amphibians
Here in the UK over the last decade over 35% of traditional amphibian spawning grounds have been lost due to agricultural intensification and urban development that commenced during the 1960's. With the loss of ditches and field ponds filled in to provide a more efficient farm landscape, the 'common' frog, 'common' toad and 'common' newt are all now have all become less familiar.

The increasing popularity of garden ponds is providing an alternative to the many wild spawning sites that have been lost. Most people are now aware that having amphibians in their gardens is a real benefit as they eat slugs, snails, small insects and their larvae.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides protection all our native amphibians and the Great Crested Newt and the Natterjack Toad are given special protection.

The Pool Frog (Rana lessonae)
The northern pool frog which was once widespread in the Brecks and Fens of East Anglia is now England’s rarest amphibian. After a long period of population decline the pool frog was declared extinct during the 1990s. There is currently one reintroduced population near Thetford, which originates from frogs caught in Sweden under licence. These frogs were the start of the reintroduction project and released between 2005 to 2008. Swedish frogs were used because research showed they were a close match to the recently-extinct English pool frogs. The northern pool frog is found in England, Sweden and Norway. There have been some unauthorised releases of pool frogs from central and southern Europe, but these different from the northern pool frog and are of no conservation importance.

dendroWorks is supporting amphibian conservation here in the UK by....

undertaking licensed amphibian surveys to establish species and population size

assisting community groups raise funding to develop amphibian ponds on site

advising on amphibian pond design and location

developing site specific amphibian habitat enhancement plans

These organisations all actively support amphibian conservation