List of endangered amphibians Facts for Kids

Endangered (EN) species are considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Amphibians are amazing creatures like frogs, salamanders, and caecilians. They live part of their lives in water and part on land. Sadly, many amphibians are in danger of disappearing forever. As of September 2021, over 1,000 different types of amphibians are listed as endangered. This means about 14% of all known amphibian species are at a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

What Does "Endangered" Mean?

When a species is called "endangered," it means there are very few of them left. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) decides which animals are endangered. They use special rules to figure out if a species is facing a very high risk of dying out. Even more at risk are "critically endangered" species. These are listed separately, and there are almost 1,400 amphibian species that are either endangered or critically endangered.

Why Don't We Know About All Amphibians?

Sometimes, scientists don't have enough information about a species. About 1,200 amphibian species (16% of those studied) are called "data deficient." This means we don't know enough to say if they are endangered or not. These species often live in small areas or have small populations. Because of this, they are probably also in danger. The IUCN suggests we should still pay attention to these species. We need to protect them until we can learn more about their status.

Types of Endangered Amphibians

Amphibians are divided into three main groups: salamanders, frogs, and caecilians. All of these groups have species that are in danger.

Salamanders: Amazing Amphibians

There are 161 types of salamanders that are endangered. These creatures are known for their long bodies and tails. They often look a bit like lizards. Many salamanders live in wet, cool places.

Lungless Salamanders

Many endangered salamanders are "lungless salamanders." This means they breathe through their skin and the lining of their mouths, not with lungs! They need to stay moist to breathe. Some examples include the Inyo Mountains salamander and the Coal black salamander.

Asiatic Salamanders

These salamanders are found in Asia. They include species like Abe's salamander and the Taiwan salamander. Many of them live in streams and forests.

Mole Salamanders

Mole salamanders spend a lot of time underground. They are often found in North and Central America. The Mountain stream salamander and the Lake Lerma salamander are examples of endangered mole salamanders.

True Salamanders and Newts

This group includes many colorful and interesting species. The Sardinian brook salamander and the Laos warty newt are among those facing threats.

Proteids

These are aquatic salamanders, meaning they live in water. The Alabama waterdog is an endangered proteid.

Frogs: Leaping into Danger

A much larger group, 914 frog species, are endangered. Frogs are known for their powerful legs and loud calls. They live in many different habitats around the world.

Water Frogs

Water frogs, like the Titicaca water frog, live mostly in or near water. Many of these species are found in South America.

Robber Frogs

Robber frogs are a large group of frogs found in the Americas. They are known for their direct development, meaning their eggs hatch directly into tiny froglets, skipping the tadpole stage. Examples include the Barahona rock frog and the Jamaican rumpspot frog.

Robust Frogs

These frogs are found in India. The Giant wrinkled frog is one of the endangered species in this family.

Shrub Frogs

Shrub frogs are often found in Asia. They are known for living in bushes and trees. The Romer's tree frog and the Sri Lanka short-horned shrub-frog are endangered.

Cryptic Forest Frogs

These frogs are often small and hard to find in the forest. They are found in Central and South America. The Llanos rocket frog is an example of an endangered cryptic forest frog.

Rain Frogs

Rain frogs are found in Africa. They are often small and live in damp places. The Mazumbai warty frog and the Highland rain frog are endangered species.

Fleshbelly Frogs

This is a very large group of frogs found in Central and South America. Many species, like the Cuzco Andes frog and the Sharpsnout robber frog, are endangered.

Glass Frogs

Glass frogs are famous for their see-through skin. You can often see their internal organs! They live in Central and South America. The Blue giant glass frog is an endangered glass frog.

Litter Frogs

Litter frogs live in the leaf litter on the forest floor. They are found in Asia. The Short-legged horned toad is an endangered species in this group.

Screeching Frogs

These frogs are found in Africa. They are known for their calls. The Freetown long-fingered frog and the Big-eyed tree frog are endangered.

Hemiphractids

These frogs are found in Central and South America. Some, like the Horned marsupial frog, carry their eggs in a pouch on their back.

Poison Dart Frogs

Poison dart frogs are famous for their bright colors and toxic skin. They live in Central and South America. The Golden poison frog and the Phantasmal poison frog are endangered.

Mantellids

These frogs are mostly found in Madagascar. They come in many shapes and colors. The Bernhard's mantella and the Green mantella are endangered species.

Ceratobatrachids

These frogs are found on islands in the Pacific, like Fiji and the Philippines. The Fiji ground frog and Hazel's forest frog are endangered.

Fork-tongued Frogs

These frogs are found in Asia. The Montane frog and the Piebald spiny frog are endangered species.

Narrow-mouthed Frogs

This is a very diverse group found worldwide. They often have small heads and narrow mouths. The Black-throated climbing frog and the Malagasy rainbow frog are endangered.

True Frogs

This is a widespread family of frogs. The Hong Kong cascade frog and the Mountain yellow-legged frog are endangered species.

Puddle Frogs

Puddle frogs are found in Africa. They often live near small bodies of water. The Ringed river frog is an endangered puddle frog.

Hylids (Tree Frogs and Allies)

This large group includes many tree frogs. They are known for their climbing abilities. The Blue-sided leaf frog and the Australian lace-lid are endangered hylids.

African Reed Frogs

These small, colorful frogs live in Africa. The Clarke's banana frog and the Mount Nimba reed frog are endangered.

Pyxicephalids

This group includes some of the largest frogs in Africa. The Inyangani river frog and the Natal diving frog are endangered.

Australian Ground Frogs

These frogs are found in Australia. The Mountain frog and the Sphagnum frog are endangered species.

Other Endangered Frog Species

Many other types of frogs are also endangered. This includes unique species like the Bornean flat-headed frog, which has no lungs, and the Purple frog from India.

Gymnophiona: The Hidden Amphibians

Gymnophiona are legless amphibians that look like worms or snakes. They live mostly underground. Several species are endangered, including the Sagalla caecilian and the Mahe caecilian.

List of endangered amphibians facts for kids