Exploding frogs

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I hear there were frogs exploding in Germany recently. I'm not making this up. Something to do with a virus or a hole in the ozone. I have forgotten where I saw it but a word search would probably turn something up.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4486247.stm
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/20 ... oads_x.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/20 ... 352292.htm

Yeah weirdly interesting

arhh we might start exploding.

Fairly disturbing, I also feel rather sorry for the toads.

I could be wrong, but I think it highly unlikely that it be crows that are causing the toads to physiologically react in this way in such great numbers. Apparently they have been seen moving around, swelling up and then exploding. Crows can cause toads to explode by pecking on them for their livers but this is something thats already supposedly true and known, even if the toads are exploding in unusually high numbers. If this is what the fuss is about then thats what people should say.

I am more inclined to go for the virus/fungus theory (purely because its more interesting and its more fitting to the number of exploding toads, otherwise a shedload of crows have a lot to answer for). Even though tests have shown that the levels of possible pathogens in the water are negative, it doesn't mean that these tests are right as they could be there but in very minute quantities and that it only takes, say, one or a few of the viral/fungal cells to cause this reaction. The idea of it being a virus also makes more sense as viral cells can multiply within a host far more rapidly than fungal cells, therefore, causing more damage at a far more rapid rate. The only ways in which the fungal cells could cause damage just as quickly was if they were spores or released a potent toxin.

Well I think I've tore this to shreds enough and this is just my opinion. I may well be proved wrong but then I'm not perfect and not always right because if I were, I wouldnt need educating would I?

If you think that's interesting you should read this:

http://www.pbs.org/strangedays/episodes ... frogs.html

Thank you Laura, I did find that link rather interesting. I did not realise that frogs were being affected like this. However, I did hear a few years ago that man made chemicals were responsible for the sex changes in fish from male to female as some of them mimicked oestrogen in the same manner as the chemicals described in the link.

Strange Days on Planet Earth is properly my favourite documentary series by far. Mainly because Ed Norton hosts it and he is from the movie 'Fight Club' and which is one of my favourite movies.

There was a series on called Planet Earth (I think) with Sir David Attenborough over here a while ago and that was cool. Not only did you get an amazing documentary every week, but they showed you at the end how it was all filmed and I just though 'wow'. Never seen the Strange Days on Planet Earth documentay series, perhaps its never been shown in my country or its been on some channel I can't afford. But I Have seen Fight Club, very good film.

To Me it just makes Me wonder what is next frogs and toads are usually the first to be affected it seems by the environment.