Jodi Rowley is involved in a global race, where there is no winner but there may be thousands of losers. Globally one-third of over 7,000 species of frogs are at risk of extinction; they are the most threatened group of animals on the planet, with hundreds already lost.
Jodi Rowley’s research strives to gain a better understanding the diversity and conservation status of amphibians in Southeast Asia, focusing on one of the most topographically diverse and populous countries – Vietnam- and to facilitate long-term amphibian biodiversity conservation.
Central to Jodi’s research is scientific expeditions to remote, unexplored, montane forests. These expeditions have resulted in the discovery of over 21 new species of amphibian, including the bizarre Vampire Flying Frog (Rhacophorus vampyrus), a species with fanged tadpoles, and the tiny green-blooded Quang’s Tree Frog (Gracixalus quangi), with males that sing more like birds rather than your average frog.
As one-fifth of Southeast Asian amphibians listed as threatened, and current estimates of amphibian species numbers are serious underestimates, with new species are being continuously discovered.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]
