AMPHIBIANS are still disappearing around the world, although not as rapidly
as in the 1960s when herpetologists sounded the alarm. Jeff Houlahan, an
ecologist at the University of Ottawa, and colleagues studied data from 936
amphibian populations around the world. It鈥檚 the best evidence yet that
amphibians are in a general decline (Nature, vol 404 p 752).
鈥淥ne of the interesting things is that post-1960s, the trend has almost
levelled off in Europe, but continued to decline in North America,鈥� says
Houlahan. He hopes further analysis will reveal whether there is a single global
cause or a number of local causes.