Fungus threatens RP frogs

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) yesterday expressed alarm over the spread of a newly discovered deadly fungus in the Philippines that has been infecting five species of frogs in two forested areas in the country. 

The chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), which has been linked to massive amphibian extinction in Europe, Australia and America, is considered a “very serious threat” to amphibian biodiversity in the Philippines.

DENR Secretary Lito Atienza immediately directed the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) to formulate a definitive national strategy for the monitoring of the frog population nationwide “to protect national interest.”

Dr. Mundita Lim, PAWB director, said their routine annual survey on frog species and its population would now include the testing of the frogs’ skin and the impact of the fungus infection on frogs to other species’ population and ecosystem.

Initial reports of a joint US-Philippines survey of the fungus revealed that five species of frogs endemic in two forested areas in Southern Luzon, specifically Mt. Palay-palay Mataas na Gulod Natural Park in Cavite and Mt. Labo in Camarines Norte, have already been affected by the microorganisms.

These species are the Luzon striped frog (Rana similes), Luzon stream frog (Rana luzonensis), Luzon fanged frog (Limnonectes woodworth and Limnonectes), and Puddle frog (Occidozyga laevis), all found in elevated areas.

“The Philippines is home to an incredibly diverse amphibian fauna.  Along with forest destruction, pollution, and climate change, chytrid fungus may turn out to be the final blow that sparks major amphibian extinctions in the archipelago,” noted Dr. Rafe Brown, biologist professor at the University of Kansas.

Brown, who is among the collaborators in the two-year survey conducted at 19 locations across the country, said the phenomenon of chrytid fungus, which is the agent causing Chytridiomycosis, was first noted in Central America in the 1980s.

The presence of the fungus has also been reported recently in Japan and Indonesia.

He said the fungus affects the skin of frogs, particularly around the mouth, as well as teeth of tadpoles and causes difficulty in breathing. It also hampers the ingestion of food.

Brown said the fungus might result “in serious catastrophic imbalance of nature” as experts deem amphibians as an integral part of the food web.

Brown said that the prevailing hypothesis on the outbreak of this “naturally-occurring” fungus is the destruction of the natural habitat of the amphibians as well as climate change, noting that the virus attacks even in pristine environments and intact forests.

“The fungus is transmitted through spores,” Brown, also curator of amphibians and reptiles at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, said.

Mae Diesmos, assistant professor at the University of Santo Tomas and leader of the team that has been sampling live frogs’ skin for the past two years, said they took skin samples of 30 species of frogs during the survey in 19 sites nationwide.

She said of the 19 sites examined, 17 remain free from the deadly microorganism, which is “good news.”

But she stressed that it must be enough reason for the government and stakeholders to take immediate action to effectively check its diffusion.

However, Dr. Arvin Diesmos, curator of amphibians and reptiles at the National Museum of the Philippines, pointed out that it is the “most disturbing” findings in their study.

He said that the survey found that the pathogen is apparently present at middle to high elevations on pristine forests of Mt. Palay-palay Mataas na Gulod Natural Park and Mt. Labo.

It also appeared that one of the infected frog species may already be rapidly declining.

“We’ll need to monitor these populations very closely over the coming years,” he said. 

At least 592 of the country’s 1,137 endemic species of amphibians, birds and mammals are either threatened or endangered, according to the DENR.

The Philippines has about 110 species of frogs, 80 percent of them endemic to the country, Diesmos said.