Golden Frogs 100 tiny lives closer to survival

PANAMA’S GOLDEN FROGS, on the edge of extinction because of a killer fungus,  are 100 happy events closer to survival with even the possibility of a return of the species to the forests.

 Between January 2013 and March this year more than 100 golden frogs were born in captivity in the Amphibian and Frogs Conservation Center  in El Valle de Anton.

The last litter came last March, when 50 specimens wereintroduced to the world under astrict scientific process developed by biologists and foreign experts working with the Houston Zoo , USA .
The scientific group cataloged this as a success because the species was crisis in terms of population decline because of the presence of the killer chytrid fungus..
Experts now assess a possible return of the species to forests, healthy and free of pollution, said Heidi Ross , a researcher in charge of the center.
Ross said that the golden frog needs of creeks and streams free of pollution to live, because that is their natural habitat rewports La Prensa.
The researcher said that the current figure is expected to rise because there are frogs that have not left the water.
She said that now the hard work begins , because they are small andthe researchers have to ensure that their riny wards  have adequate food for optimal development , taking into account that the life of this species is very delicate.
" The future is encouraging because we have 13 adult frogs more , including two that were captured in the field, treated with medication, and who will become mothers ," she said .

The breeding center is working on a repeat hatching in December, said Ross, with about 15 adult frogs with the ability to lay eggs said Ross.
The project has an annual budget of $100 thousand , distributed among insect rearing to supplement the diet of frogs , employee salaries , and use of electricity, needed 24 hours a day to create the artificial environmenr  "A service interruption would end their lives" said Ross.