The Problems of Captive Breeding

In "The hard slog to save the frogs," the author introduces an ecologist, Hunter, who tries to search for imperiled frogs' eggs for captive breeding. According to article, the frog researcher conducts carefully to observe, discover, and carry frogs' eggs to a captive breeding research center from their habit. At this time, the frog researcher requires lots of efforts to discover the frogs' eggs, because amphibians' species have diminished and their habitats have disappeared. The author points out that most ecologists bring low salaries like Hunter. However, as for the frog researcher, Hunter says that he enjoys his work in spite of these problems, because the great natural environment give realization about his life to him.

This article shows another way of the ecologist. I have curiosity about his work, which is a special job and helps endangered amphibians. Also, I can find difficult problems about captive breeding. These are trouble with assisting their inhabitation in captive breeding, instability of growth of frogs' subsistence after captive breeding, and scarcity of funds for the captive breeding process.

First, scientists have difficulty finding appropriate surrounding at the captive breeding time. When tadpoles grow into the frogs in an artificial habitat, their food is very important. For example, tadpoles generally eat the green algae like chlorella and sea lettuce, but they have trouble increasing in the artificial surrounding. Also, scientists choose a deliberate natural habitat and reserve the habitat, which habitat demands sensitive attention. For example, the habitat can be affected by pollutants in agriculture or urbanization. Therefore, people should preserve water of creeks, lakes, and valleys for frogs' inhabitation.

Second, even though captive breeding may succeed, the frogs' existence is a rare occurrence. Already the frogs have been exposed to a critical situation since 1980. For example, the chytrid fungus cause an infectious disease that makes the frogs disappear rapidly anywhere. Also, a natural swamp usually contains the frogs' predators. For example, the adult frogs go back the bogs after captive breeding; they become the prey of the bullfrogs or the green frogs. Therefore, scientists should invent methods that prevent the chytrid fungus or separate endangered frogs from their predators.

Finally, the strong problem is that the captive breeding requires funds. Captive breeding cannot be distributed equally to balance global ecosystem. For example, most less developed countries show worse ecological environment, but they do not have finance for captive breeding. In addition, the personnel are small numbers who search the endangered frogs' eggs for captive breeding. Actually frog research is a strange filed. For example, the frog researchers might travel to the remote areas like a boggy forest, a steep valley, or cold creek. Also, they earn a small income, in spite of lots of effort. Therefore, wealthier governments should be concered about captive breeding in the global view.

In conclusion, captive breeding poses problems in its processes. Amphibians' habitats and survival are always related with environmental problems and captive breeding. In addition, governments should help ecologists and scientists with captive breeding. The captive breeding is the only method to rescue the imperiled amphibians from the their critical situation. Therefore, people should consider the problems and keep paying attention to captive breeding.

Reference:

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