Frogs thriving near organic sugarcane plantations
Frog populations seem to be
thriving
near some of our organic
sugarcane plantations, we've been pleased to note.
Frogs are very
sensitive to
pollution, so their presence shows that the environment is clean.
We
like to think that CADO's organic farming has helped to keep it that
way.
Volunteer photographer
Paul Bamford visited us in late 2007 to photograph our projects
and the local wildlife. He left us with
around a thousand fantastic photos - and the challenge of
identifying some of the animals, birds and insects. In April
2008, Paul contacted
us to say that he thought the frog pictured here might be a
relatively rare colour-morph of the phantasmal poison arrow frog (or
phantasmal poison dart frog), Epipedobates tricolor, unique to
a very few locations in Ecuador and listed as endangered by the IUCN.
"Amphibians
such as frogs are massively
important as indicators of habitat quality, as they are one of the
first groups of vertebrates to be affected by pollution and other
changes in the environment", Paul tells us. "Therefore,
endangered frogs =
healthy
ecosytem. They are important for keeping ecosystems healthy
in
their own right, because they prey on invertebrates. Studies
all over
the world have shown
that crop pests increase when amphibian populations decline".
Frog
expert Mario Yanez at the Natural History Museum of Ecuador believes
that our
frogs are actually a particularly beautiful colour-morph
of Epipedobates anthonyi. The E. anthonyi
were previously considered to be the same species as E. tricolor and
only molecular analysis or distribution show a difference between them.
E. anthonyi does not seem to have a common name, just being
known as a type of poison dart or poison arrow frog. The
species is listed as "near threatened" rather than
endangered, with its main threat being agrochemical pollution.
We will continue to keep an eye on them and press on with our
organic agriculture efforts to conserve the habitat for them and other
amphibians.
Amphibians
all over the world
are under threat from the chytrid fungus (see Amphibian
Ark's chytrid fungus page) so it is more important now than
ever to keep the habitat of these frogs unpolluted. You
might like to support the Year
of the Frog campaign.
CADO,
our sugarcane
alcohol project, is moving closer
to selling organic alcohol on a fairly-traded basis on the
international market. It's a long process but we are
gradually moving
forward. Success will mean that more existing and new members
can convert more land to organic status for the benefit of local
families, frogs and other wildlife.
CRACYP news: amphibians thriving
near CADO's organic sugarcane
plantations in Ecuador - frogs good indicator of healthy habitat.
CRACYP -
news of sustainable
development and reforestation in rural communities
in Ecuador
'Green Progress': social and economic development which
protects the environment
