Quote Originally Posted by mtolypetsupply View Post
Anyway, one of the things that they did to cure an outbreak of chytrid down in the Panamanian research center was to raise the temperature of the enclosures to 90 degrees. That killed the chytrid, and they had a 100% survival rate with that treatment. I'd be interested to see if it spreads to areas with temps that sustain in the 90's for weeks or months, and if detected, if the impact is the same as in cooler climes.
The temperature trick is a great trick, but like the anti-fungal treatment, I don't see how this endeavor can solve the problem in the wild. Let's say you have a species of frog which is almost wiped out, and you collect the few that are left to start a captive breeding program (Arc), and they are infected... In this case the treatment makes sense, as you are returning these specimens to a captive controlled situation. Treated frogs might, and that's a very scanty "might", be able to last longer when introduced back into the wild (as with the Mtn Yellow-legs), but here there is no guarantee of survival for the next generation, since chytrid is still in the habitat, and tadpoles have not been treated. Perhaps we may find some benign anti-fungal treatment that kills chytrid ONLY that could be used to treat the whole water body. Unfortunately, most insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, usually kill other organisms along the way.... Unless we want to start genetically engineering something that SPECIFICALLY kills chytrid??? Of course genetic engineering is one of those shady territories at times.

In regards to global warming, I don't believe that hotter climates will be off the hook. First, many tropical areas often don't hit extremely high temperatures. Did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the entire (AK incl.) U.S. that has never had temps go over 100 degrees? And just because a locale may be in the 90's does not mean that the water table is going to be that warm. This is an aquatic fungus!

No, I believe the temp solution may only work for infected specimens destined to survive in captivity. I completely endorse an Arc strategy until this issue can be resolved successfully. Of course that's a funding issue in most cases, and how do you pick and choose which species to save when there are so many on the brink at one time?!

As for the whole thing with the planet moving further from the sun: I am not well versed in astronomy, meteorology, geology, and the likes, but as I understand it, global warming has come and gone repeatedly over the course of the earth's history... so I don't know how this distancing is related. The effects of such gradual distancing might not even be obvious during the stretch of our lifetime. Global warming is a multifold issue that has interconnected causes, some natural, some accelerated my man's disregard or ignorance; unfortunately, just like an interruption in an animal food chain, cataclysmic chain reactions are an ultimate eventuality. I mean like they're saying the whole ocean conveyor system could come to a standstill... I don't even want to go there!

I consider myself a positive person, but the current state of the planet and its possible future state leaves me with a chill of foreboding. I personally believe a staggering portion of the human population is headed for a crash (along with most everything else). I dread the day when the ---- has hit the fan so hard, humans may become less than they are today... not just in population, but in regards to remaining civilized. Mob rules mentality today is just as barbaric and prevalent as it was during the heydays of Rome. Despite our technological advances, we still haven't leartned! If the evironment supporting this era's species [it won't be the end for everything! ] collapses, the most important thing on anyone's mind will be "Where do I get my next meal?" I hate to say it, but how many of you can ponder the reality of your pets suddenly looking delicious? You may say "Not me! Not my beloved snakies!" But how do you know how you will behave? You may have heard of the Donner party in the Sierras and the Andes soccer team....? Please count how many posts on this forum come from 3rd world nations; they don't have the luxury to keep pets; some of these animals instead become ......

I AM SO SORRY I WENT OFF ON THAT TANGENT! It's a horrible thought.
I'll stop now. We were talking chytrid. Oh bad Steve...

Okay, so have a happy day, heh?

Steven