Amphibians are in crisis. Climate change, pollution, and habitat loss are stripping their ecosystems. But something even more silent is killing them – disease. From frogs to tadpoles, the losses and disrupted growth are staggering.
Since the 1970s, about 200 amphibian species have vanished. Today, 34% of the 7,296 known species face extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
One fast-moving culprit is ranavirus. This genus of viruses spreads quickly among fish, reptiles, and amphibians. The virus can devastate species that lack any built-in defense. But a recent study in Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science offers a glimpse of amphibian resilience.
“Here we show that in response to ranavirus, wood frog tadpoles change their growth, development, and resource…