Can amphibian lives be endangered by fungi?

–Anuska Sen, Team bioXone

Although it seems questionable whether a fungus can endanger amphibian lives, pieces of evidence prove that they have already been responsible for the extinction of over 30 amphibian species.

This disastrous water-borne fungus named Chytrid fungus is so widespread that it is said to be present in every part of the world where amphibians exist. It causes the disease chytridiomycosis which severely impairs the respiratory and circulatory mechanism of the amphibian leading to its death.

The chytrid fungus has caused excessive havoc very recently because it has been reported that except 1500 individuals, all other Panamanian golden frogs have been wiped out by this catastrophic fungi. Molecular biologists and ecologists have declared this situation as “critical”. However, these frogs are being tried to be saved at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), where they live safely and reproduce, such that their population can be restored someday.

Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-09-superfungus-threatens-panamanian-golden-frogs.html#:~:text=Though%20endemic%20to%20the%20lush,decimated%20amphibians%20in%20the%20wild.