Scinax baumgardneri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scinax baumgardneri |
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The Scinax baumgardneri is a small frog that belongs to the Hylidae family, also known as the tree frog family. This special frog lives only in Venezuela, a country in South America. It was first described in 1961 by Juan A. Rivero.
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What is Scinax baumgardneri?
This frog is a type of amphibian, which means it can live both in water and on land. Like other frogs, it has smooth, moist skin and lays its eggs in water. The Scinax baumgardneri is a unique species because it is endemic to Venezuela. This means you won't find it naturally anywhere else in the world!
Where Does It Live?
The Scinax baumgardneri prefers warm, wet places. Its natural habitats include:
- Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests: These are forests that get a lot of rain and are not very high above sea level.
- Intermittent freshwater marshes: These are wet, swampy areas where the water might dry up sometimes.
These places provide the perfect conditions for the frog to find food, shelter, and places to lay its eggs.
Why Is It Important?
Every species plays a role in its ecosystem. Frogs like the Scinax baumgardneri are important because they help control insect populations. They also serve as food for other animals, like birds and snakes. When a species is endemic to one place, it means it's even more special and important to protect that specific area.
Threats to the Scinax baumgardneri
Sadly, the Scinax baumgardneri is facing challenges. The biggest threat to this frog is habitat loss. This happens when the places where the frog lives are destroyed or changed by human activities.
What is Habitat Loss?
Habitat loss can happen in many ways:
- Deforestation: Forests are cut down for farming, building, or wood.
- Pollution: Water and land can become dirty with chemicals, making it hard for frogs to survive.
- Urban development: More towns and cities are built, taking away natural areas.
- Climate change: Changes in weather patterns can affect the wet and moist conditions these frogs need.
When their habitats are lost, these frogs have fewer places to live, find food, and reproduce. This makes it harder for their populations to grow.
Conservation Status
The Scinax baumgardneri is listed as "Data Deficient" (DD) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This means scientists don't have enough information about how many of these frogs are left or how their populations are changing. More research is needed to understand their situation better and to plan ways to protect them.
See also
In Spanish: Ranita de Baumgardner para niños
