November 11, 2014 - 23:43
So Grace, Sydney, Rina & I looked at chapter 1 today! The chapter focused on the indigenous golden frogs in Panama, and how the population has suddenly been cut down out of nowhere. They figured out the decimation was due to a fungus brought on by introduction of North American bullfrogs (which are immune to it). The extinction is happening everywhere in Panama—from highly populated areas to even more isolated ones—and all of the frogs are dying. Although measures are being taken by the EVACC organization to help, they can only save so many frogs.
In this chapter, Kolbert argues the detriment of human travel. The spread of the deadly fungus would not have been a problem had humans not brought it in the first place. Our specific nature to travel to these far off places, bringing foreign idea/materials, is what is making us the "one weedy species" causing the next extinction.