Threats Facing Florida Frogs

SOUTH FLORIDA COULD BE CONSIDERED A FROG PARADISE, ACCORDING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, OUR AREA IS HOME TO 14 NATIVE SPECIES ON A WALK THROUGH THE 6 MILE CYPRESS LOOP RESERVE WGCU KATE CRONIN EXPLORED THE ECOSYSTEM THAT HOUSES THESE IN AMPHIBIANS AND THE THREATS TO THEIR FUTURE. >> HERE. RINGGOLD AND HER PARTNER CARRIED ILL OR WADING THROUGH WAIST DEEP WATER ALL IN AN EFFORT TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH PRODUCTS AT LOCK AT THE 6 MILE CYPRESS LOOP RESERVE RINGGOLD IS USING THE EXPERIENCE AS PART OF HER STUDIES IN HERPETOLOGIST U.S. >> I WAIT EVERY YEAR FOR THE WHAT LOOKS TO BE I CAME TO MY FIRST ONE LIKE MAYBE 3 YEARS AGO AND THE FIRST TIME I CAME I WAS IN FELL IN LOVE WITH SO BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS AMAZING. THE PROFESSIONAL HERPETOLOGIST TO RICK BAUER IS LEADING THIS CREW INTO THE SWAMP. >> AND THIS PART OF FLORIDA AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. WE HAVE ABOUT 24 SPECIES OF FROGS. SO IT'S ONE OF THE HOTSPOTS OF OVERALL AND FOR BN BIODIVERSITY. >> CROAKING OF FROGS IS COMMON THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THERES THE SNORTING PIG FROM IT. >> THE SHEEP LIKE LEADING OF THE OUT TOES. >> OR THE LINK AL BELL FROM THE GREEN TREE. FROG. DESPITE THEIR SOMETIMES STARTLING CALLS, POWER EXPLAINS WHY FROGS ARE IN A GIRL TO WETLANDS WHEN THERE ARE WAYS THAT THEY HELP THE ENVIRONMENT IS JUST THROUGH A LOT OF THE CONTROL OF A LOT OF OUR INSECT POPULATIONS. >> SO FROGS WILL A LOT OF INSECTS SAYING CONNECTS KIND OF SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT FOOD SOURCE FOR A LOT OF OUR OTHER SPECIES. SO THEY BOTH EAT N B, EEN. >> BUT HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND POLLUTION ARE THREATENING FROG POPULATIONS, EVEN DANGERS LOOM FROM THE INVASIVE AMPHIBIAN SPECIES. >> CUBAN TREE FROG. IS THERE AN INTRODUCED SPECIES IN FLORIDA? THEY'RE NOT ONLY EXOTIC IN THIS AREA, BUT THEY'RE INVASIVE AS WELL. SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY PREY ON OUR NATIVE TREE FROG SPECIES BECAUSE THEY'RE A LOT LARGER IN SIZE. >> FROG HEALTH IS ALSO A CONCERN. A DESTRUCTIVE PATH AGENDA SPREADING THAT INFECTS THE BODY AND SKIN KNOWN AS THE KIT TREND FUNGUS. FROGS USED THEIR THIN DELICATE SKIN TO BREATHE AND ABSORB WATER. SO WHEN A FUNGUS ATTACKS THE SKIN STRUCTURE, IT CAN BE FATAL. ACCORDING TO BAUER, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THE 6TH MASS EXTINCTION EVENT ON RECORD. >> IT'S CAUSING A MASS AND FABIAN DECLINE ACROSS THE ENTIRE WORLD FOUND ON EVERY CONTINENT ON THE PLANET. AND WE'RE ASKED I OFTEN AMPHIBIANS BECAUSE OF >> THIS DISEASE. BUT OUR SAYS NOT TO LOSE HOPE. WILDLIFE EXPERTS ARE DEVELOPING A VACCINE TO PROTECT FROM THE KITTREDGE FUNGUS. >> THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF EXCITING WORK GOING ON WITH DISEASE PREVENTION AS WELL. AND SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO EITHER TREAT CATCHER IT OR PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. >> AND EVENTS LIKE THE WET WALK HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE SUCH AS SARASOTA STUDENT CARRIED ILL ON THE IMPORTANCE. FROGS BRING TO THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM. >> THAT IS REALLY UNIQUE AND SPECIAL AND THAT WE SHOULD APPRECIATE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE IN TROUBLE AND THAT WE SHOULD APPRECIATE EVERY MOMENT THAT WEEKEND WITH THEM. >> THE WGCU NEWS >> WITH VIDEOGRAPHY BY AMANDA INSCORE WHITTAMORE >> I'M KATE CRONIN.