Captive Breeding for Amphibian Survival

Our children go to a creek or lake, expecting small frogs to hop on its shore, but they will not see them, sooner or later. What happened to this place? The leaders in amphibians analyzed the fact that amphibians have diminished in their population and lots of other species have vanished. Most ecologists have given warning to people that amphibians will disappear. Zippel was quoted as saying, “Amphibians have been around for over 360 million years, enduring at least three mass extinction events, including the one that eliminated the dinosaurs. But amphibians species are becoming extinct at a pace faster than anything we have experienced” (Beeby, 2008, para. 9). I argue that captive breeding is the best way to save amphibians in difficult circumstances. I am sympathetic to Sir David’s argument that “Captive breeding had been shown to be one of the most important and appropriate ways to slow down the effects of the crisis” (McMarthy, 2008, para. 7). Therefore, amphibian scientists should continue to study the protecting method of the endangered amphibians.

In this paper, I argue about how to sustain amphibians’ captive breeding. People should defend the habits of amphibians from bad effects of global warming, and scientists should research methods that solve the problems of fungus diseases. In addition, governments should raise and invest the funds to establish their captive breeding facilities.

First, people should be concerned about protecting the amphibians' habitats from harmful impacts of global warming. Global warming affects amphibians by drying the water in the amphibians’ habitats. “Do we water ecosystems in response to the drying conditions that will accompany climate warming in many regions of the world?” (Knapp, 2008c, para. 1). For example, scientists choose deliberately a natural habitat for captive breeding, because the habitat must reserve proper water for living, which makes bred amphibians keep growing safely. Also, global warming reduces water supplies. The textbook said that global warming causes the high temperature, and the water that is in water supplies decreases or dries up (Miller, Jr., 1994). For example, tadpoles generally eat the green algae like chlorella and sea lettuce. If tadpoles don’t take the nutrition, it means that the growing processes will fail during amphibians’ captive breeding. In addition, when water becomes warm, this causes infectious diseases. For example, the scientists argue that “Warming temperatures had allowed the emergence of chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus that has been wiping out amphibians species around the world. Despite providing only weak support for the role of climate change, the paper was splashed across the pages of hundreds of newspapers and magazines, all repeating the mantra that climate change was now a proven cause of amphibian declines” (Knapp, 2008b, para. 1). Therefore, people should prevent and slow down the bad effects of global warming. I agree with Miller, Jr. (1994), who says that people should not buy products containing CFCs and halon fire extinguishers for home use. Also, people should have car and home air conditioners checked regularly for CFC leaks, repair them, and use energy-efficient light bulbs, refrigerators, and other appliances (Miller, Jr., 1994). Their effects prevent not only global warming but also loss of amphibians’ habitats.

Second, scientists should be encouraged and supported. Thus, the scientists advance to invent medicine that prevents fungus diseases and cures amphibians of them. Amphibian populations might disappear very quickly because of fungus diseses; for example, “Scientists aren’t exactly sure how the fungus, Batrachytrium dendrobatidis, kills, but it seems to break down a protein in the skin called keratin that may be important for respiration. The skin of infected animals sloughs off in layers, and within two weeks they die” (Goodman, 2006, para. 5). If a few amphibians get the fungus diseases, they spread all over the water-areas where amphibians live. Also, when amphibians move to other areas, they require safe conveyance from fungus diseases. For example, commercial trade of wildlife may increase the fungus disease because of changing shelters. In addition, in order to the advancement of learning for captive breeding, the scientists might solve serious fungus diseases promptly. “There was no time to do the meticulous studies of behavior, reproduction, eating habits and habitat that zoologists try to conduct before moving any endangered species from its natural environment” (Goodman, 2006, para. 13). Therefore, scientists should conduct the research for stable captive breeding and discover healing medical methods, which will lead to successful captive breeding.

Third, governments should support the ecologists and research centers for captive breeding. Captive breeding demands ecologists’ personnel. For example, frog researchers act carefully to observe, discover, and carry frog’s eggs to a captive breeding research center from their habitats. The frog researcher Hunter’s case shows that “Even a local council environment officer earns about $50,000 –more than double the income of many of the PHD students like Hunter, who are delivering critical information on preserving Australia’s biodiversity” (The Canberra Times, 2008, para. 1). Also, governments should institute a new rule to support the researchers or the research centers to make their fund-raising campaigns easy and effective. Captive breeding keeps progress toward the amphibian’s sustainable existence. For example, everyone participates in the program like this; “Anyone could help the global program raise funds for frog conservation, including ‘kids selling cookies’ at school fund- raisers” (Beeby, 2008, para. 10). In addition, government should establish a greenbelt zone for stage of captive breeding. When scientists choose a deliberate natural habitat and reserve the habitat, this habitat demands sensitive attention. For example, habitat can be affected by pollination in agriculture or urbanization. Therefore, governments should instruct their people for keeping the environments for amphibians’ breeding and should support either hard-working researchers or captive breeding centers.

My opponents argue that captive breeding is very expensive. “The estimated 5-year cost to house 100 amphibians species in zoos is $41,000,000! Where is this money going to come from? Will it be siphoned away from already scarce funds used for conservation efforts currently being implemented in the wild?” (Knapp, 2008a, para. 2). However, the amphibians are special vertebrates because they maintain a double life on land in water. Also, amphibians have a long history in spite of their weak disposition and bare skin. In addition, “Amphibians play a major role in many ecosystems, in some places the amphibian biomass is greater than that of all the other vertebrates” (Oregon State University, 2006, para. 3). The amphibians reduce the harm of insects for humans and play a role in the ecosystem for other animals in the food chain. Finally, the amphibians affect agriculture; for example, farmers might be achieving a higher rate of their harvest because of amphibians. Increasing amphibians can allow them to anticipate a rich year. Therefore, amphibians demonstrate the original history of the ecosystem, and they give benefits to other animals and people. Amphibians must deserve to exist on earth.

In conclusion, captive breeding poses problems in its processes. The developing of captive breeding requires conservation of amphibians’ habitats from global warming problems, prevention of disaster from fungus disease, and full support of governments. Not only individual people but also global countries must lead the appropriate projects and practical new environmental laws, to keep the amphibians. Captive breeding is the only method to rescue the endangered amphibians from their current critical situation. Also, successful captive breeding will enable us to educate to children how to preserve the endangered species. It is true that captive breeding requires lots of time, money, and devotion. By having children observe the hard process, they will be able to realize how hard it is to protect and balance the environment. Thus, through this hard method, captive breeding can give people sound mind and keep settled the ecosystem. Therefore, people should consider the problems of captive breeding and keep paying attention to captive breeding.

Reference:

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Goodman, B. (2006, June 6). To stem widespread extinction, scientists airlift frogs in carry on bags. The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.

The hard slog to save the frogs. (2005, May 9). The Canberra Times. The environment. Retrieved May 27, 2008 from Lexis Nexis database.

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Knapp, R. (2008a, May 23). The amphibian ark: good intentions, uncertain outcomes. Frog Blog. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://anuranblog.blogspot.com

Knapp, R. (2008b, March 27). Climate change and global amphibian declines. Frog Blog. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://anuranblog.blogspot.com

Knapp, R. (2008c, February 28). Conservation in an age of climate change. Frog Blog. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://anuranblog.blogspot.com

McCarthy, M. (2008, January 3). Frog numbers in peril from spread of killer fungus. The Independent Newspaper. Retrieved June 3, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.

Miller, Jr., G.T. (1994). Environment: Problems and solutions. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth.

Oregon State University (2006, July 7). Major initiative proposed to address amphibian crisis. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 20, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com