"Extinct" Amphibians Rediscovered After

Nearly Half a Century

In a significant conservation breakthrough, two amphibian species thought to be extinct
have been rediscovered in the mountain forests of the Philippines. The rediscovery of these
animals brings hope that other long-lost species might be out there waiting to be rediscovered as
well.

Both of these creatures are found only on Palawan Island. Nevertheless, they have very
different habitats: The caecilian likes marshland, while the toadlet is a burrower that lives in dry
grasslands. Finding both of these amphibians alive and well is no small feat-they are among the
rarest animals in the world, says curator of herpetology Rafe Brown. The Malatgan River
caecilian and Palawan toadlet were both feared lost to science, but after an intensive search,
researchers found a single specimen of the worm-like caecilian and dozens of the tiny Palawan
toadlets. The researchers used visual surveys and DNA barcoding—a technique for identifying
species based on short sequences of DNA.

Evidence is mounting that amphibians are one of the most endangered groups of animals
on Earth. More than 20 percent of amphibians are already threatened with extinction, according
to the IUCN Red List, a database maintained by the conservation organization International
Union for Conservation of Nature. The list includes 606 species classified as "critically
endangered," meaning they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

A Newfound Mammal of Philippine Treetops

Gets High-Flown Name
1. Cloudrunner is a species of flying squirrel endemic to Panay Island in the central
Philippines. Panay Cloudrunner is a small, mainly arboreal, marsupial with distinctive
golden fur. The cloudrunner shares some characteristics with squirrels, including an
enlarged, bushy tail and strong hind limbs. However, its distinctive features include
its large size, thick body fur, and rounded ears. Its tail may be used as a parachute
while jumping from tree to tree, which allows the cloudrunner to glide over long
distances. Distinctly different from most squirrels, the cloudrunner is primarily
 nocturnal and eats insects, fruits, nuts, and earthworms. Its thick fur helps it survive in
colder climates at higher altitudes, while its broad feet allow it to climb trees easily.

With further research that I conducted online, a recent genetic study has revealed that
the species is not related to any other rodent genus, making it a living fossil that diverged from
all other rodents 25 million years ago. The study also found that the Panay cloudrunner is most
closely related. to the extinct Eomyidae family, which died out 2.6 million years ago

2. Habitat destruction is the most severe threat to the existence of Panay Cloudrunner.
The species appears to be extirpated from some areas, and habitat loss severely
fragmented populations. The natural habitat of Panay Cloudrunner is lowland tropical
rainforests. Unfortunately, these have largely been removed from the island by human
activities like logging and conversion to agricultural plantations. Additionally, there is
ongoing pressure to destroy further the remaining habitats for commercial
developments such as resorts, golf courses, and residential subdivisions. Howbeit, the
remaining forest patches are threatened by future development. The species is
protected under Philippine law and is currently not suitable for captive breeding
programs.

7 Prehistoric Animals You Didn’t Know

Once Roamed the Philippines

All animals are, in a sense, biological machines designed to survive and reproduce. They
are designed by evolution, which works by trying out many different designs at random and then
keeping the ones that work best. Evolution is always taking risks because it is trying out new
designs at random. Animals can only survive if their design is good enough at avoiding problems
to outweigh the risks introduced by all the new features evolution keeps trying out. The
diminution of biodiversity has been revved since the rise of human civilization. Most of the time,
the loss of a species is usually amalgamated with the loss of its ecosystem. Extinction is a normal
splendor of evolution and transpires at a natural background pace. However, humans provoke
extinction at 1000 times the background rate, threatening to destroy many ecosystems and
causing mass extinctions.
 Moreover, extinction could be caused by biological causes such as asteroids or volcanic
eruptions. However, the most common cause of extinction is habitat loss due to environmental
changes caused by natural disasters or human activities. Climate change can also lead to
extinction as well as overhunting or overfishing. Humans are responsible for the loss of many
animal species nowadays. If we do not try to save them from extinction, someday we will be
sharing the world with only cockroaches and rats. However, there are many ways animals will
endure and avert them from becoming extinct. Animals can start by setting up an environment in
which they can protect their offspring and raise them to be strong and independent. Social
behavior is also another way that animals can survive. With social behavior, they can join
together with other animals and become strong enough to fight against predators. Animals can
also use a variety of adaptive behaviors to escape predators. Some have defenses such as venom,
spines, or claws, others camouflage themselves, and still, others warn off predators with bright
colors or distinctive patterns. Many birds have evolved long legs to run away from ground
predators. Some animals that live in the water have developed gills for breathing underwater
where there are no land predators.

The first step, as humans, to prevent animals from being extinct is not to hunt them
illegally or unnecessarily. Illegal trade and hunting threaten wildlife survival in most parts of the
world. There is also a need to protect wildlife habitats, especially those endangered by human
development activities such as deforestation and industrial expansion. Wildlife conservation laws
should be enforced strictly at both national and international levels to ensure that wild animals
continue to survive on earth.