Over 17,000 species threatened by extinction

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A rare Panamanian tree frog, a rodent from Madagascar and two lizards found only in the Philippines are among over 17,000 species threatened with extinction, a leading environmental group said on Tuesday. The Rabb's fringe-limbed tree frog, only discovered four years ago, is one of 1,895 amphibian species that could soon disappear from the wild because of deforestation and infection, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said.

The Switzerland-based group surveyed 47,677 animals and plants for this year's "Red List" of endangered species, determining that 17,291 of them are at risk of extinction.

For all those animal lovers!

Image: This undated file photo provided by International Union for Conservation of Nature, shows a Kihansi Spray Toad, Nectophrynoides asperginis. The toad is one of the species that could soon disappear in the wild, IUCN said on Nov. 3, 2009.

Text & Images:  AP