And then there were none. 
 
 Toughie, the world's last Rabbs' fringe-limbed tree frog and a symbol of the extinction crisis, has died at his home in the Atlanta Botanical Garden. 
 
 The famed frog's age is unknown, but he's at least 12 years old, and likely older, because he was an adult when collected in 2005. 
 
 Mark Mandica, who worked with Toughie for seven years, says the frog's story isn't entirely unique. “A lot of attention had been paid to him in captivity, so he even has his own Wikipedia page,” Mandica, head of the Amphibian Foundation, notes. “But there are plenty of other species out there that are disappearing, sometimes before we even knew that they were there.” 
 
 In fact, Toughie's own species (Ecnomiohyla rabborum) wasn't described until 2008, a few years after Toughie was found during a 2005 frog rescue mission by the Atlanta Botanical Garden and Zoo Atlanta. He was one of many frogs scientists raced to collect as the deadly chytrid fungus closed in on central Panama. 
 
 “It was likened to just rescuing things from a burning house,” Mandica says. 
 
 The species occurred in a very small range, at an elevation where the fungus proved especially deadly. Field studies suggest up to 85 percent of all the amphibians on Toughie's home turf were wiped out. It's unlikely that any of his kind survived in the wild, where they were incredible climbers and also graceful gliders—toe webbing allowed them to soar from one tree to the next. (Learn about the increasing pace of extinctions.) 
 
 Watch: This tree frog's death marks the end for a species. 
 
 Naming a Survivor 
 
 Mandica's son, then a two-year-old, dubbed the last survivor Toughie. Naming animals isn't the norm among scientists, but the frog's popularity as the last of his kind meant that people (and the press) kept demanding a name—and Toughie stuck. 
 
 Although he gave voice to the plight of endangered species, Toughie was silent for all the years he lived at the botanical garden, until one fateful morning in 2014 when Mandica captured the only existing example of the Rabbs' fringe-limbed tree frog's call. 
 
 “I heard this weird call coming out of the frog [area], and I knew it had to be him, because I knew what all the other species sounded like. I was able to sneak in and record him on my phone.” (Hear Toughie's call.) 
 
 View Images Toughie was photographed in his captive home at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Goegraphic Photo Ark 
 
 Atlanta Botanical Garden 
 
 Photographing the Last of a Kind 
 
 Photographer Joel Sartore recalls a curious, baseball-size creature with amazing eyes that actually hopped up onto his camera while being photographed for the Photo Ark project. Photo Ark aims to showcase our planet's incredible biodiversity and inspire people to help fight the extinction crisis while there is still time. So far, Sartore has photographed more than 6,000 species. Unfortunately, many others also represent the end of the line for their kind. 
 
 “About once a year I photograph something that's the last of its kind or close to it,” he says. “I get sad and angry because I can't imagine that this won't wake the world up and get people to care about extinction. I keep thinking, OK, this is the one. This animal's story is going to do it and get people to care more about extinction than about what's on TV. 
 
 “They can't care if they don't know these animals,” he adds. “They have to meet them and fall in love with them the way that I have and so many others have.” 
 
 Watch: Scientists rush to save other tree frogs in Central America. 
 
 Toughie, indeed, had lots of admirers. Last year his image was even projected onto St. Peter's Basilica, and his call played, so that the world could see and hear him. 
 
 The frog met race car drivers and movie directors, Sartore recalls. “A lot of people were moved to tears when they saw him. When you have the very last of something it's a special deal.” 
 
 Now he's gone, and with him an entire species. And as large numbers of animals and plants continue to vanish, their loss increasingly compromises the healthy ecosystems necessary for everyone's survival—including our own. (Can extinct species ever be brought back?) ||||| The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog evolved in the fishless waters of Yosemite: "... advent of fish in a lake sooner or later nearly or quite eliminates the frogs. It seems probable that the fish prey upon the tadpoles, so that few or none of the latter are able to reach the stage at which they transform. The frogs which live along the streams probably spawn in small temporary pools in the meadows which the trout cannot reach."—Animal Life in the Yosemite by J. Grinnell and T.I. Storer, 1924 Basic Biology Endangered status: Federal Endangered species and California Threatened species 
 
 Federal Endangered species and California Threatened species Physical description of adults: Pattern on back highly variable with ranging from a few large to many small discrete dark spots within a variably colored mosaic of pale spots of different sizes and shapes; back usually mixture of brown and yellow, but often gray, red, or green-brown; underside of hind legs yellow; throat is white or yellow 
 
 Pattern on back highly variable with ranging from a few large to many small discrete dark spots within a variably colored mosaic of pale spots of different sizes and shapes; back usually mixture of brown and yellow, but often gray, red, or green-brown; underside of hind legs yellow; throat is white or yellow Size: Up to 3 ½ inches long 
 
 Up to 3 ½ inches long Habitat: High mountain lakes, ponds, tarns and steams; rarely found more than 3 feet from water 
 
 High mountain lakes, ponds, tarns and steams; rarely found more than 3 feet from water Reproduction: Eggs laid as snow begins to melt; egg mass may be as small as a walnut or as large as a grapefruit; tadpoles take up to 4 years to metamorphosis into adults 
 
 Eggs laid as snow begins to melt; egg mass may be as small as a walnut or as large as a grapefruit; tadpoles take up to 4 years to metamorphosis into adults Population status: 95% decline 
 
 95% decline Threats: Non-native fish, disease, airborne contaminants At one time the rare Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae) was the most abundant amphibian in the high mountain lakes of the Sierra Nevada. Visitors hiking along lakeshores could encounter frogs by the hundreds. Populations have since declined approximately 95% in the Sierra Nevada, including in Yosemite. Recent surveys in 2005-2007 determined that the species is still in rapid decline and on a trajectory toward extinction. Because of the precipitous declines, the frog is proposed as an Endangered species for protection under the Federal Endangered Species Act. The ecological effects of the loss of the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog from most of its range have been significant, as their former abundance made them a keystone predator and prey and a crucial agent of nutrient and energy cycling in Sierra Nevada aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Multiple factors have contributed to the decline of the frog, including the introduction of fish into naturally fishless waters throughout most of the park. As early as the turn of the 20th century, scientists in Yosemite noticed that frogs and fish rarely occurred in the same lake or stream. Non-native trout feed on eggs, tadpoles, and young adults and compete for natural food sources. Although fish stocking in Yosemite ceased in 1991, many non-native trout populations continue to exist. Studies suggest that the recently discovered amphibian chytrid fungus is a major contributor to observed declines in the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog. Chytridiomycosis, an often fatal disease, was first discovered in the Sierra Nevada in 2001. Subsequent studies have found that the chytrid fungus has been present in the Sierra Nevada at least since the mid-'70s. The chytrid fungus appears to live on keratin—the same substance fingernails are made of—found on the external mouthparts of tadpoles, and in the outer skin layer of adults. The growth of the fungus on adult’s skin apparently disrupts the frog’s ability to breathe through its skin and osmoregulate—sustain an internal water balance; both effects resulting in nearly certain death. Much still needs to be learned about the chytrid fungus, what its origins are and how it is spread. Research suggests that the fungus is a "novel pathogen," meaning that it has recently spread from outside the geographic area to highly susceptible local species that did not evolve with the pathogen. Chytrid fungus has occurred in African clawed frog populations at least since the 1930s and is rarely fatal in this species. The African clawed frog has been transported around the world first for human pregnancy tests in the 1940s-1950s and later for laboratory testing and as pets. Release of animals into the wild could have infected new geographic areas. Also unknown is how the fungus moves between water bodies. While the fungal disease is highly fatal to Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs, there is some hope. A small number of frog populations have been able to persist and some populations have even increased in size despite the presence of the chytrid fungus. Ongoing research supported by the National Science Foundation is investigating why these few populations have been able to hang on. Such research will contribute to development of strategies to reestablish populations of frogs in the future. Additional causes of decline may include deposition of airborne contaminants, such as pesticides and other chemicals, from sources outside the park, other pathogens, and possibly a combination of these and other stressors. Two ongoing experimental projects are being conducted in Yosemite to determine the feasibility of expanding the distribution of the frog in the park. The park began a Yosemite Conservancy supported project in 2006 to re-introduce the frogs into several fishless lakes and started a project in 2007, supported by entrance fee funds, to restore habitat by removing non-native fish from a handful of remote sites. Fish removal has focused on 11 lakes in six areas. Six of these lakes are now considered fishless (Virginia Lake, Cold Mountain Area Lakes, and Bartlett Creek Lakes) and five more are currently being restored to their natural fishless state (Tiny McCabe, Ardeth, Miwok, Roosevelt, and Hutchings Creek Lakes). These lakes constitute 5% of the lakes that contain fish in the park. Research has shown that once fishless, the lakes are re-populated by native species, including frogs and invertebrates. SPECIES: View a list of Yosemite’s amphibian species and a list of the park’s special status animal species. Saving Yosemite's Frogs Can we save the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog from extinction? Human introduced non-native species (fish and fungus) have been causing the frog to go from the most abundant amphibian in the Sierra Nevada to critically endangered. However, habitat restoration efforts in Yosemite are showing promising signs for the frog's recovery and long-term survival. Duration: 8 minutes, 27 seconds Date created: 2013-12-11 Download Original File: yose-savingfrogs.m4v 94,967 KB Fish Removal FAQ 
 
 Why are fish being removed from lakes in Yosemite National Park? 
 
 The primary reason fish are being removed from a small number of lakes is to provide more available breeding and overwintering habitat for the recovery and conservation of the federally endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog. In addition, the restoration of mountain lakes to a fishless condition benefits ecosystem function as a whole, increasing insect diversity and abundance, which in turn benefits terrestrial wildlife species. Is Yosemite trying to remove fish from all waters within the park, and if not, how many lakes and streams will be affected? 
 
 Yosemite has almost 2,700 lakes, of which about 250 currently contain fish. The National Park Service anticipates removing fish only from approximately 25 lakes (about 10% of lakes containing fish) total over the next 15 to 20 years. In addition, there are approximately 1,200 miles of streams in Yosemite of which 800 miles support fish. There are no plans to remove trout from stream locations other than short segments associated with lake inlets and outlets at restoration sites. Where is the best place to receive the latest information regarding the removal of fish in order to plan a visit to the park? 
 
 The best place to receive the most current information for trip planning is at wilderness centers and permit stations. How do I express concerns, learn more about the fish removal program, and get on the mailing list for attending future public meetings with regards to plans involving fish removal? 
 
 Superintendent 
 
 Attn: High-Elevation Aquatic Ecosystem Recovery and Stewardship Plan Environmental Assessment 
 
 P.O. Box 577 
 
 Yosemite, CA 95389 
 
 Phone: 209/379-1365 
 
 Fax: 209/379-1294 
 
 Email 
 
 
 
 Learn more about the High-elevation Aquatic Ecosystem Recovery and Stewardship Plan 
 
 Factsheet: High-Elevation Aquatic Ecosytem Recovery Plan [80 kb PDF]. 
 
 Factsheet: Restoration of the Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog: Experimental Fish Removal - learn about the impact of non-native fish. [77 kb PDF] 
 
 Factsheet: Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog - learn more about this frog's status. [299 kb PDF] 
 
 Factsheet: Yosemite toad - learn more about protecting this species of concern. [74.5 kb PDF] 
 
 Learn more about amphibians in Yosemite and how they have adapted to a more terrestrial lifestyle . 
 
 amphibians in Yosemite and how they have adapted to a more terrestrial lifestyle Understand how Yosemite's air quality might affect aquatic animals. The Sierra Nevada Southern Cascades Contaminants (SNSCC) Workshop's 2009report [530 kb PDF] summarizes potential impacts of airborne contaminants on the Sierra Nevada ecosystems. 
 
 SPECIES: View a list of Yosemite’s amphibian species and a list of the park’s special status animal species. 
 
 View a list of Yosemite’s amphibian species and a list of the park’s special status animal species. SuperintendentAttn: High-Elevation Aquatic Ecosystem Recovery and Stewardship Plan Environmental AssessmentP.O. Box 577Yosemite, CA 95389Phone: 209/379-1365Fax: 209/379-1294
– A frog named Toughie, likely the last of his species, died quietly in his enclosure at the Atlanta Botanical Garden this week, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He will be missed by Garden staff and visitors alike," the Garden posted on Facebook. The Rabbs' fringe-limbed tree frog wasn't even discovered until 2005 when scientists were attempting to rescue specimens of any amphibian they could before a deadly chytrid fungal infection hit Panama. According to National Geographic, Toughie made it out of Panama, but it's estimated that the chytrid fungus killed up to 85% of all amphibians left behind in his natural habitat. He had lived in isolation at the Garden since 2008. A cause of death is unknown, but Toughie was believed to be at least 12 years old. In his final years, Toughie became a "symbol of the extinction crisis." His photo was projected onto St. Peter's Basilica, and he was visited by film directors and race car drivers. "A lot of people were moved to tears when they saw him," a photographer who worked with Toughie says. "When you have the very last of something it's a special deal.” While some scientists are holding out hope for the Rabbs' tree frog, it's likely Toughie was the last, Scientific American reports. His species hasn't been seen in the wild since 2007. It's rare for humans to actually witness an extinction when it happens and not just learn about it years later. (For the first time, bees have been put on the endangered species list.)