Scientists will meet this weekend to launch an action plan aimed at stemming the global decline in amphibians.
About a third of frog, toad and salamander species are facing extinction; threats include fungal disease, pollution and habitat loss.
The Washington DC meeting is expected to call for the establishment of a large-scale captive breeding programme.
The cost of preserving amphibians from extinction may run into tens of millions of US dollars per year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4244554.stm
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Almost a third of amphibians are in difficulty
(Image: Conservation International)