New Species Of Golden Frog Discovered In Tropical Forests Of Colombia - ENN

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Bogota, Colombia, August 28, 2007� A new poisonous frog was recently discovered in a remote mountainous region in Colombia by a team of young scientists supported by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP). The new frog, which is almost two centimetres in length, was given the name the �golden frog of Supata.��

Originally, the young scientists thought the frog was similar to several other common species in the area. However, after scientific analysis of the frog�s characteristics, and review of their findings by experts at Conservation International, it was determined that the golden frog of Supatá is unique and only found within a 20 hectare area in Colombia�s Cundinamarca region. Colombia is one of the world�s richest countries in amphibian diversity, with more than 583 species.

Unfortunately, since this frog is a recent discovery, and endemic to only the Cunidnamarca region, little is known about it. So far, scientists say that the golden frog of Supatá belongs to a group of �dart fogs�� that are known to be highly venomous. In the coming months, the young scientists hope to have more information about the frog.

�The importance of this project is not just the discovery of the new frog,�� said Oswaldo Cortes, team leader and one of the winners of the 2007 Conservation Leadership Programme awards. �But, most importantly, what this new discovery shows is how little we still know about our planet, and the many species that haven�t yet been discovered. This is why it is so important to work with local communities and educate them about the need for conservation.��

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