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In the late 1980s a number of unusual
common
frog mortalities were reported to Froglife in the southeast
of England. Frogs were found to be suffering from a variety of
symptoms, sometimes with secondary bacterial infections. It
was found the frogs were suffering from a disease called
ranavirus.
After a dramatic increase in cases in the southeast throughout
the late 1980s, the Frog Mortality Project was set up to monitor
and report on the extent of this disease in the UK.
The Frog Mortality Project is a joint partnership between the
Institute of Zoology (IoZ) at the Zoological Society of London and
Froglife. To date the Frog Mortality Project has received
thousands of disease reports and has collected information on
the deaths of over 85,000 frogs. This database -
the largest of its kind in the world - is currently the subject
of a PhD study. Excepting this PhD study, the IoZ’s contribution
to the project is currently unfunded, and urgent fundraising is
underway in order to remedy this.
The
latest information on
amphibian
disease in the UK.
Submit your records of amphibian disease.
View a
map of ranavirus reports.
Amphibian Health and Disease
(PDF).
Amphibian disease precautions
(ARG UK advice note (PDF)).
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