Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE TALE OF THE GOLDEN TOAD
Once upon a time, in the cloud forests of Monteverde, there lived the golden toad(Bufo
periglenes),also known as thesapo dorado. Because this bright-orange, exotic little toad
was often seen scrambling amid the Monteverde leaf litter - the only place in the world
where it appeared - it became something of a Monteverde mascot. Sadly, the golden
toad has not been seen since 1989 and is now believed to be extinct.
In the late 1980s, unexplained rapid declines in frog and toad populations all over the
world spurred an international conference of herpetologists to address these alarming
developments. Amphibians once common were becoming rare or had already disap-
peared, and the scientists were unable to agree upon a reason for the sudden demise of
so many amphibian species in so many different habitats.
Several factors may be to blame for these declines, including the fact that amphibians
breathe both with primitive lungs and through their perpetually moist skin, which makes
them susceptible to airborne toxins. Their skin also provides little protection against UV
light, which studies have shown can result in higher mortality rates to amphibian embry-
os and damaged DNA that in turn causes deformities. Pesticides also have been proven
to cause deformities and hermaphroditism. And then there's the global issue of habitat
loss. If all that didn't tell a bleak enough story, scientists have since discovered that the
worldwide spread of chytridiomycosis disease (caused by the fungusBatrachochytrium
dendrobatidis,in case you were wondering) has decimated amphibian populations every-
where.
According to the Global Amphibian Assessment, 30% of New World amphibians (1187
species) are currently threatened with extinction. In response to this dire statistic, an in-
ternational coalition of zoos and wildlife-conservation organizations have jointly estab-
lished Amphibian Ark (
www.amphibianark.org
), an attempt to 'bank' as many species as
possible in the event of further die-offs. We may never know what happened to the golden
toad, but as one of the first warning signs that the ecosystem is off balance, its mysteri-
ous disappearance might have given a chance for survival - and a happy never-ending? -
to other amphibian species.
Tours
Although you can (and should) hike around the reserve on your own, a guide will provide
an informative overview and enhance your experience. Make reservations at least a day in
