VOA科学技术2024--Large Chilean Frog at Risk from Climate Change

（单词翻译）

A large frog species that lived alongside dinosaurs¹ and is considered a "living fossil" is now losing ground in its native Chile.

Climate change and human actions are damaging the creature's living environment, or habitat.

The Helmeted Water Toad² is one of the largest frogs in the world, growing up to over 30 centimeters in length and weighing up to one kilogram.

The amphibian³ has experienced little genetic⁴ change for millions of years. But now its future is at risk, scientists say.

"It's sad that a species that managed to coexist with dinosaurs, that managed to resist a mass extinction⁵, is now threatened by human beings," said Melissa Cancino. Cancino is an animal doctor and founder⁶ of Proyecto Anfibia, a group that works on amphibian research and education in Chile.

The Helmeted Water Toad's environment covers a large part of the country, but its population is suspected to have decreased by at least 30 percent since 1990. The creature is identified as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List.

Climate change, habitat changes, environmental decline and pollution have all caused the Helmeted Water Toad's numbers to decline, Cancino said. Poor water and waste management have also threatened the frog's living environment.

Matias Faundez, another member of Proyecto Anfibia, has seen the damage first hand.

"This estuary⁷ runs through the whole city, and has plenty of illegal run-offs," he said as he walked through a stream outside of Valparaiso. "Even so," he added, "the frog manages to survive."

I'm John Russell.

Rodrigo Gutierrez reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

species - n. a class of animals having common attributes and a common name

amphibian - n. any of a class of cold-blooded animals (such as frogs) that have gilled aquatic⁸ young and air-breathing adult

vulnerable - adj. open to attack or damage

extinction - n. the act of completely dying off

estuary - n. a part of the sea at the lower end of a river