Emily Chan
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has found that 41 percent of frog species worldwide are threatened by extinction. The biggest contributors are habitat loss, climate change, and the chytrid fungus.
Waddle hopes that his frog saunas can reduce the number of deaths. They are an example of simple but creative solutions that are needed if we want to help more frogs survive.
“This might be the first evidence that we could cheaply and feasibly reduce that nasty yearly die-off of frogs,” said Waddle. “For green and golden bell frogs, that could mean the difference between a population going or persisting.”
The saunas are also affordable, as they only cost AUD$70, or USD$50, to put together. Waddle has even helped dozens of citizen scientists build their own versions in their backyards.
The effort has provided researchers with more data about endangered frog species and spared some from succumbing to the flesh-eating fungus.
