Protecting Wild Cat Habitat

Although I looked for them every chance I had, amphibians were most noticeable for their absence by the end of the rainy season in the Sierra Gorda. This should not be such a surprise when, at the global level, 41% of amphibian species is at risk of extinction. More are disappearing every day, and the factors leading to their disappearance continue unabated.

As a child, I remember tree frogs and toads showing up in the potted plants and patio of my mother's house, the night-time mating choruses of frogs in the Jalpan River, and colorful Bell's salamanders adorning forest paths. Today, these sights and sounds have become sadly rare.

As a group, amphibians managed to resist other massive extinctions of life on Earth. However, this sixth massive wave of extinction, which humans have brought on with our hubris and delirious greed for natural resources, is turning out to be more rapid, vicious, and deadly than the others, and the future is looking bleak for amphibians.

For the moment, as we continue to grow unsustainably - polluting, monopolizing, and destroying our planet's natural resources - we are all looking for good news. That is why, when a tree frog showed up in the kitchen sink a couple of days ago, for me it was a cause for celebration.

This chance encounter gives me hope for the future of amphibians in the Sierra Gorda. It also means that your support for our conservation efforts, which has allowed us to keep the chainsaws out of our forests, is providing a refuge for this threatened group of animals.