Sunday, September 14, 2008

Froggery

The Reno Gazette-Journal is reporting that game wardens in the state of Nevada, having spent the past several weeks tracking down African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) illegally imported into the state, have discovered the source of the frogs: a Florida company called Grow-a-Frog. The company sold almost 200 of the frogs through its online store to Nevada residents before the mistake was caught (the owner claims he knew it was illegal to sell the frogs in Nevada, but there was a error made at the shipping facility). Since the discovery, the Nevada Department of Wildlife had fielded numerous calls from citizens who had received the frogs. Others who have more information are being asked to call 1-800-992-3030. African clawed frogs and regulated in Nevada (and in other states) because of concerns about them establishing in the wild and also because of the possibility that they could be a vector for the amphibian-killing chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis).

1 comment:

Fixed Carbon said...

Why should Nevada worry? We read in your previous post that introduced species rarely lead to native species extinctions.