Scientists are concerned that almost a third of the world's amphibians face extinction from impending environmental disasters.
A total of 1 856 - or 32 percent - of all 5 743 known amphibian species are threatened with extinction, a major global study has revealed.
Accurate information is lacking on another 1 300 species which are said to be under threat. At least nine amphibian species had disappeared since 1980, when the most dramatic declines began.
Another 113 species have not been seen in the wild in recent years. They may also be extinct.
The study's findings were published in the journal Science.
More than 500 scientists from over 60 nations contributed to the Global Amphibian Assessment, the first worldwide audit of amphibian populations. Their assessment is regarded as a possible early warning of impending environmental disaster.
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Amphibians, with their highly permeable skin, are extremely sensitive to the effects of climate change and pollution. Any cataclysm to hit the natural world is likely to affect amphibians first. In comparison, only 12 percent of all bird species and 23% of all mammal species are considered to be in danger.
Russell Mittermeir, president of the Washington-based organisation Conservation International, which co-led the new research, said:
"Amphibians are one of nature's best indicators of overall environmental health. Their catastrophic decline serves as a warning that we are in a period of significant environmental degradation."
The findings showed that 43 percent of all amphibian species were in decline, while 27 percent were stable. Fewer than 1% of amphibian populations were increasing, and the status of the rest was unknown.
Almost 430 species were on the Critically Endangered list, while 761 were listed as Endangered and 668 as Vulnerable.
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