Discovery Of Chytrid Fungus - Deadly To Amphibians - Confirmed In UK - BBC

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A fungus that is deadly to many species of amphibians has been found in wild animals in the UK for the first time. Chytrid fungus is a major contributor to the decline of amphibian populations around the world and may have already made one species extinct.

Its presence was detected in American bullfrogs that had set up home in two small lakes in South-East England. Scientists are now trying to establish whether the fungal disease has spread to native amphibian species.

The fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has been found in captive animals in this country before, but never in the wild. It was identified by Dr Andrew Cunningham of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and colleagues, and reported in the Veterinary Record. The American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is native to the central and eastern US and parts of Canada. The UK colony was probably derived from animals kept as pets that escaped or were released.

"If it does get into British species, it's going to be very difficult to get rid of," Dr Cunningham told the BBC News website. "This disease is a major cause of amphibian population declines and extinctions worldwide. So it's pretty bad news that it has been found in the wild in this country."

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4249136.stm