Staff and agencies
27 August, 2007
By CHERYL WITTENAUER
By CHERYL WITTENAUER
Associated Press Writer
Thu Aug 23, 9:05 PM ET
ST. LOUIS - Kermit the Frog might be recruited, along with governments, corporations, and philanthropists, to help in a worldwide effort to stem the deaths of frog populations around the world.
Members of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums will discuss who‘s going to take which species for safekeeping and breeding.
At the Budapest meeting, zoo and aquarium leaders also will be presented with a strategy for raising global awareness of the crisis and the initial $50 million needed to avert it.
"Protective custody has got to happen now, or within a year or two. Otherwise, it‘ll be too late. Extinction is forever."
Scientists say they have to figure out a way to get the killer fungus, called chytrid fungus, out of the environment or help the frogs develop a resistance. They can be cured with a fungicide, more easily than a person can shake athlete‘s foot, Bonner said. But they‘ll be affected again upon re-entry....
ST. LOUIS - Kermit the Frog might be recruited, along with governments, corporations, and philanthropists, to help in a worldwide effort to stem the deaths of frog populations around the world.
Members of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums will discuss who‘s going to take which species for safekeeping and breeding.
At the Budapest meeting, zoo and aquarium leaders also will be presented with a strategy for raising global awareness of the crisis and the initial $50 million needed to avert it.
"Protective custody has got to happen now, or within a year or two. Otherwise, it‘ll be too late. Extinction is forever."
Scientists say they have to figure out a way to get the killer fungus, called chytrid fungus, out of the environment or help the frogs develop a resistance. They can be cured with a fungicide, more easily than a person can shake athlete‘s foot, Bonner said. But they‘ll be affected again upon re-entry....
