Climate Change Endangering Amphibian Species Around The World, 136 Of 426 In India Threatened: Study

New Delhi: Climate change is deteriorating amphibian species around the world and the species continue to be the most threatened class of vertebrates, new research in Nature journal reports. In India, 136 of the 426 species evaluated in the study were found to be threatened, an international team of researchers, including those from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, and other Indian institutes, said in their study. study author Gururaja K. V. and faculty at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bengaluru campus said,

Among the states with high amphibian diversity, Kerala has 178 species of which 84 are threatened, Tamil Nadu is next with 128 species of which 54 are threatened and Karnataka is in third place with 100 species of which 30 are threatened.

Current and projected climate change effects are estimated to be responsible for 39 per cent of status deteriorations since 2004, followed by habitat loss, which has affected around 37 per cent of species in the same period, the researchers said in their study.

India’s Western Ghats were among the regions which recorded the greatest concentrations of threatened species, according to the study. Other regions included the Caribbean islands, Mesoamerica, the tropical Andes, the mountains and forests of western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria, Madagascar and Sri Lanka.

Also Read: Climate Takes Center Stage At UN As Global Temperatures Hit Record 

In 2004, the Global Amphibian Assessment demonstrated that amphibians were the most threatened class of vertebrates worldwide, and it has since been used to guide amphibian conservation efforts.

In this study, the researchers analysed the second Global Amphibian Assessment, completed in June 2022, which re-evaluates the species from the first assessment and increases the number of species evaluated.

They found that the status of amphibians continues to deteriorate, with around 40 per cent of the species studied being categorised as threatened.

The primary driver of these declines has shifted from disease to climate change, the authors suggest. Karthikeyan Vasudevan, paper co-author and chief scientist at CSIR-CCMB said,

The results will strongly highlight how the national level priorities for species conservation need to be aligned to the change in the status of amphibians and the threats that impact amphibians. It should trigger consultations within countries on priorities and fundraising for amphibian conservation efforts.

Documented amphibian extinctions continue to increase: there were 23 by 1980, an additional 10 by 2004, and 4 more by 2022, for a total of 37, the study said.

Also Read: Wealthy Nations Should Hasten Emission Reduction To Avert 1.5 Degree Climate Overshoot: Report 

The findings, part of the second Global Amphibian Assessment, are based on the evaluation of 8,011 species for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The IUCN is an international organisation working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

The authors call for urgent scaled-up investment and policy responses to support the survival and recovery of amphibians.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoilets are used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.