Harvard Professor James Hanken on the Amphibian Extinction Crisis

Where are all the frogs going? In this video, James Hanken, Curator of Herpetology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology and Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology, discusses the ongoing amphibian extinction crisis. This urgent environmental issue is marked by the significant decline of amphibian populations worldwide, with many species on the brink of extinction.

The crisis is driven by several factors, including habitat loss from urbanization and agriculture, climate change affecting breeding and food sources, pollution from pesticides and industrial waste, and the spread of deadly diseases like chytridiomycosis. Invasive species further threaten native amphibians by outcompeting or preying on them. The decline of these creatures is concerning not only for biodiversity but also for ecosystem health, as amphibians play vital roles as both predators and prey.

Read James Hanken's profile of Louis Agassiz, founding director of Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology:

https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2013/...

Read more about Hanken's work:
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2008/...
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2005/...
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2020/...

Read more about the amphibian extinction crisis:
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2003/...

Support amphibian conservation efforts:
https://www.amphibianark.org/

#harvard #harvarduniversity #amphibians #biodiversity #conservation