Frogs vs. Fungus | National Geographic

the golden frog of Panama is part of the

the golden frog of Panama is part of the small Central American countries culture

small Central American countries culture

small Central American countries culture people here have long treasured this

people here have long treasured this

people here have long treasured this colorful and phibian considering it a

colorful and phibian considering it a

colorful and phibian considering it a symbol of good luck prosperity but today

symbol of good luck prosperity but today

symbol of good luck prosperity but today Panama’s frogs are under siege both six

Panama’s frogs are under siege both six

Panama’s frogs are under siege both six or seven years when I came here first

or seven years when I came here first

or seven years when I came here first time we have to we have to watch our

time we have to we have to watch our

time we have to we have to watch our step because there were so many golden

step because there were so many golden

step because there were so many golden frogs around that we we actually have to

frogs around that we we actually have to

frogs around that we we actually have to be careful because we didn’t want to

be careful because we didn’t want to

be careful because we didn’t want to step on the Frog and now and it’s we

step on the Frog and now and it’s we

step on the Frog and now and it’s we only have seen one frog up here one and

only have seen one frog up here one and

only have seen one frog up here one and probably thirty minutes so what’s

probably thirty minutes so what’s

probably thirty minutes so what’s happening it seems there’s a dangerous

happening it seems there’s a dangerous

happening it seems there’s a dangerous predator on the prowl in the form of the

predator on the prowl in the form of the

predator on the prowl in the form of the naturally occurring fungus called Chitra

naturally occurring fungus called Chitra

naturally occurring fungus called Chitra and it’s spreading like a black plague

and it’s spreading like a black plague

and it’s spreading like a black plague over this majestic land killing almost

over this majestic land killing almost

over this majestic land killing almost every species of frog in its path

eventually it’s still the cells from the

eventually it’s still the cells from the skin of the frogs so after a while the

skin of the frogs so after a while the

skin of the frogs so after a while the Frog will try to get rid of the kidron

Frog will try to get rid of the kidron

Frog will try to get rid of the kidron by producing more skin which cause that

by producing more skin which cause that

by producing more skin which cause that the skin of a frog gets thicker and then

the skin of a frog gets thicker and then

the skin of a frog gets thicker and then because of that flux grid through the

because of that flux grid through the

because of that flux grid through the skin then eventually the frogs will die

skin then eventually the frogs will die

skin then eventually the frogs will die of suffocation in an effort to save this

of suffocation in an effort to save this

of suffocation in an effort to save this treasured species the Houston Zoo has

treasured species the Houston Zoo has

treasured species the Houston Zoo has put Panamanian biologist Edgardo

put Panamanian biologist Edgardo

put Panamanian biologist Edgardo Griffith to work he and his team are

Griffith to work he and his team are

Griffith to work he and his team are rounding up every frog they can find in

rounding up every frog they can find in

rounding up every frog they can find in the ouvea region of Panama

the frogs have taken up residence at the

the frogs have taken up residence at the hotel competitor II in two rented rooms

hotel competitor II in two rented rooms

hotel competitor II in two rented rooms the researchers have converted into labs

the researchers have converted into labs

the researchers have converted into labs I talked with the owner and the manager

I talked with the owner and the manager

I talked with the owner and the manager of a hotel campestre and I don’t think

of a hotel campestre and I don’t think

of a hotel campestre and I don’t think that they had an idea of what was

that they had an idea of what was

that they had an idea of what was actually gonna happen at those hotel

actually gonna happen at those hotel

actually gonna happen at those hotel rooms because two of those hotel rooms

rooms because two of those hotel rooms

rooms because two of those hotel rooms we we change it we took all the beds out

we we change it we took all the beds out

we we change it we took all the beds out and all the furniture for the hotel and

and all the furniture for the hotel and

and all the furniture for the hotel and we put just a lot of shelving and a lot

we put just a lot of shelving and a lot

we put just a lot of shelving and a lot of critters keeper the disease can be

of critters keeper the disease can be

of critters keeper the disease can be successfully treated but only if it’s

successfully treated but only if it’s

successfully treated but only if it’s caught in the early stages and the frogs

caught in the early stages and the frogs

caught in the early stages and the frogs can never return to the wild

the race to save what’s left of them can

the race to save what’s left of them can only be described as an organized panic

only be described as an organized panic

only be described as an organized panic since some 120 of Central America’s and

since some 120 of Central America’s and

since some 120 of Central America’s and phibian species are believed to have

phibian species are believed to have

phibian species are believed to have gone extinct because of the fungus since

gone extinct because of the fungus since

gone extinct because of the fungus since 1980 once they get to a hotel room they

1980 once they get to a hotel room they

1980 once they get to a hotel room they goes into the quarantine safe section

goes into the quarantine safe section

goes into the quarantine safe section then we put them in a clean room and in

then we put them in a clean room and in

then we put them in a clean room and in that room we have to keep taking care of

that room we have to keep taking care of

that room we have to keep taking care of them

keeping this many frogs alive also

keeping this many frogs alive also requires a steady supply of live insects

requires a steady supply of live insects

requires a steady supply of live insects and one bug is not as good as the next

and one bug is not as good as the next

and one bug is not as good as the next for these amphibians appetites the

for these amphibians appetites the

for these amphibians appetites the golden frogs prefer termites by day

golden frogs prefer termites by day

golden frogs prefer termites by day while other species enjoy various sizes

while other species enjoy various sizes

while other species enjoy various sizes of crickets by night

of crickets by night

of crickets by night and we collect about 300 to 400 crickets

and we collect about 300 to 400 crickets

and we collect about 300 to 400 crickets every night and if they goes from Havana

every night and if they goes from Havana

every night and if they goes from Havana inch to probably four or five eight

inch to probably four or five eight

inch to probably four or five eight inches

inches

inches [Music]

[Music]

[Music] the whole process takes up to six hours

the whole process takes up to six hours

the whole process takes up to six hours each night from collecting to going back

each night from collecting to going back

each night from collecting to going back to the hotel to feed more than 250

to the hotel to feed more than 250

to the hotel to feed more than 250 hungry inhabitants I mean when you grab

hungry inhabitants I mean when you grab

hungry inhabitants I mean when you grab them immediately they will try to bite

them immediately they will try to bite

them immediately they will try to bite you so we use a glove for that but just

you so we use a glove for that but just

you so we use a glove for that but just to kind of feel more safe

to kind of feel more safe

to kind of feel more safe it’s crazy yes it’s crazy I got 80 now

it’s crazy yes it’s crazy I got 80 now

it’s crazy yes it’s crazy I got 80 now so I just need 20 more to get my whole

[Music]

[Music] space is limited so a new artificial

space is limited so a new artificial

space is limited so a new artificial home is being constructed at the nearby

home is being constructed at the nearby

home is being constructed at the nearby L nice Poirot Zoo researchers have high

L nice Poirot Zoo researchers have high

L nice Poirot Zoo researchers have high hopes for breeding the frogs and

hopes for breeding the frogs and

hopes for breeding the frogs and releasing them back to the wild but not

releasing them back to the wild but not

releasing them back to the wild but not until a solution to the Chitra problem

until a solution to the Chitra problem

until a solution to the Chitra problem is found

is found

is found one of my goal is to have a very good

one of my goal is to have a very good

one of my goal is to have a very good successful breeding program hoping that

successful breeding program hoping that

successful breeding program hoping that we can figure out a way how to create

we can figure out a way how to create

we can figure out a way how to create resistance or to fight the fungus in the

resistance or to fight the fungus in the

resistance or to fight the fungus in the wire unfortunately even if the

wire unfortunately even if the

wire unfortunately even if the researchers find a way to reduce or even

researchers find a way to reduce or even

researchers find a way to reduce or even eliminate the threat of Chitra

eliminate the threat of Chitra

eliminate the threat of Chitra the Golden Frog and other species will

the Golden Frog and other species will

the Golden Frog and other species will still have to survive other folds

still have to survive other folds

still have to survive other folds whether the illegal collectors find out

whether the illegal collectors find out

whether the illegal collectors find out that a stream like this one had frog

that a stream like this one had frog

that a stream like this one had frog don’t come basically every week it’s a

don’t come basically every week it’s a

don’t come basically every week it’s a very illegal thing to do people keep

very illegal thing to do people keep

very illegal thing to do people keep doing even when Kittredge is killing the

doing even when Kittredge is killing the

doing even when Kittredge is killing the frogs and then another reason why they

frogs and then another reason why they

frogs and then another reason why they are not that abundant as habitat lost I

are not that abundant as habitat lost I

are not that abundant as habitat lost I mean they’re getting a attack from every

mean they’re getting a attack from every

mean they’re getting a attack from every size from the top from the bottom from

size from the top from the bottom from

size from the top from the bottom from the water from the Skype and everywhere

the water from the Skype and everywhere

the water from the Skype and everywhere and the kids we just came to finish them

and the kids we just came to finish them

and the kids we just came to finish them it may be a long time before the forest

it may be a long time before the forest

it may be a long time before the forest is safe for golden frogs but with a

is safe for golden frogs but with a

is safe for golden frogs but with a conservation effort so the Houston Zoo

conservation effort so the Houston Zoo

conservation effort so the Houston Zoo and biologists like a Gardo Griffith the

and biologists like a Gardo Griffith the

and biologists like a Gardo Griffith the last of Panama’s and FIB ian’s may still

last of Panama’s and FIB ian’s may still

last of Panama’s and FIB ian’s may still have a fighting chance

Frogs vs. Fungus | National Geographic

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