Global News - August 2007

< Back to Global News

Researchers find new species in Columbia

Wed 29 August 2007 12:30 UK — South America

A young team of researchers have discovered a new species of poisonous frog in a remote and mountainous region of Colombia.

Initially, the scientists believed that the frog - which they dubbed the golden frog of Supata - was similar to several other common species in the area.

However, scientific analysis of the amphibian later showed that the frog was unique and only to be found in a 20 hectare area in Colombia's Cundinamarca region.

At the moment, little is known about the golden frog of Supata, but scientists have tentatively suggested that it belongs to a group known as 'dart frogs'.

The researchers said that their find underlined how much more there was to be discovered by careful examination of the world's remote areas.

Indeed, Reuters reported in June that scientists in Columbia rediscovered two frog species which were previously thought to be extinct.

At the time, wildlife expert Claude Gascon told the news agency: "These finds show there is still hope...a lot of these species were pretty much written off."

< Back to Global News   |   Read IAR News

Read IAR News >