350 million years of survival. One generation to lose it all.
Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates on Earth. But extinction is not inevitable.
Photo: wirestock
of amphibian species threatened with extinction
More than mammals. More than birds. More than reptiles.
Since 1980, at least 222 species have disappeared. Many more will follow without action.
Ancient Survivors
The most extraordinary animals you've never really met
They've been here since before the dinosaurs. They breathe through their skin. They begin life in water and transform to live on land. Over 9,000 species have evolved to thrive in nearly every environment on Earth—from tropical rainforests to frozen mountain peaks.
Photo: Life on white
What we stand to lose
Early warnings
Amphibians feel environmental changes first. Their decline signals trouble ahead.
Pest control
A single frog eats thousands of insects yearly. Nature's mosquito control.
Medical potential
Skin secretions lead to painkillers and antimicrobials. Cures yet to be found.
Ecosystem balance
Connecting water and land, predator and prey. Critical links in nature's web.
Each species lost is a branch of life cut forever.
Under Siege
A perfect storm of threats
No single threat is responsible. Amphibians face attacks from every direction, often simultaneously.
Habitat Loss
Wetlands drained, forests cleared. The places they call home are vanishing.
Disease
Chytrid fungus has spread worldwide, devastating entire populations.
Climate Change
Shifting seasons disrupt breeding cycles and alter critical habitats.
Pollution
Permeable skin absorbs toxins from contaminated water and soil.
Overexploitation
Collected for food, medicine, and the pet trade. Demand drives decline.
Invasive Species
Non-native predators and competitors prey on or outcompete native amphibians.
But there is hope.
Species in focus
Atelopus cruciger
The Venezuelan Harlequin Frog was functionally extinct in the wild—surviving only in captivity while chytrid fungus devastated its habitat. Through the Tropical Amphibian Resilience Initiative (TARI), researchers released captive-bred individuals back into the wild.
Five months later: wild breeding pairs observed for the first time in over a decade.
Conservation works
species saved since 1980
Not by chance, but by sustained action. Conservationists around the world are proving that when we act decisively, amphibians can recover. Habitats can be restored. Diseases can be managed. Extinctions can be prevented.
ASA's strategies are guided by the State of the World's Amphibians and the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan, representing the collective knowledge of thousands of scientists worldwide.
Re:wild, Synchronicity Earth, IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2023. State of the World's Amphibians: The Second Global Amphibian Assessment.
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2024). Amphibian conservation action plan: A status review and roadmap for global amphibian conservation.
"The question isn't whether we can save them. It's whether we will."
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Photo: wirestock