France Urged To Halt Overexploitation Of Frogs As It Endangers Amphibians In Asia

A group of more than 500 scientists and conservation groups has urged the French government to address frog overexploitation, which is mostly driven by France's insatiable hunger for frog legs.

Largest Frog Consumer In Europe

Professionals from academic, veterinary, and conservation groups have urged French President Emmanuel Macron to "end the overexploitation of frogs" and improve protections for the most traded species.

France consumes more frog legs than any other country in the European Union, frequently fried in batter or sautéed with garlic and parsley.

The country takes 3,000 metric tons of frogs, according to environmentalists Robin des Bois, who organized the letter, and Pro Wildlife.

The scientists propose that France should try to win worldwide safeguards for fragile frog species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which works to combat the illegal trade in plants and animals.

In February, 46 environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) filed a similar request with the French environment ministry.

Every year, the European Union imports 80-200 million frogs, the bulk of which are consumed in France and come from Indonesia, Turkey, and Albania, as well as farms from Vietnam.

Despite EU legislation safeguarding European frog populations, the trade persists, endangering amphibians in the source nations.

Dr. Sandra Altherr, head of science at Pro Wildlife, stressed how absurd it is that natural frog populations in Europe are protected by EU law.

"But the EU still tolerates the collection of millions of animals in other countries - even if this threatens the frog populations there. This is not at all in line with the EU's recent biodiversity strategy," she said.

Frog Species Suffering

Studies show that certain frog species are already suffering.

According to the letter to Macron, the fanged river frog (Limnonectes macrodon) has apparently disappeared from commercial imports to France, while two other common species, the crab-eating frog (Fejervarya cancrivora) and rice-field frog (Fejervarya limnocharis), have been in decline for many years due to intensive commercial harvests.

Frogs play a vital role in ecosystems and on farms. Tadpoles can enhance pond water quality, while frogs can help farmers use fewer pesticides. They may also help prevent infectious disease by consuming mosquitoes.

Scientists underscored the demise of many frog species is a global issue that is being exacerbated by a small number of European countries.

They also warned that Turkey's large-bodied frogs may become extinct by 2030 due to high demand.

Alain Moussu, the president of the Vétérinaires pour la Biodiversité, a third group that organized the letter, said veterinarians have joined the initiative in large numbers.

"They are both sensitive to the cruelty that prevails in this market and concerned about the ecological imbalances caused by the collapse of amphibian populations," he said.

Conservationists advocate for strict laws to protect amphibian populations and ecosystems.

They push for open data collection and monitoring to ensure sustainable harvesting practices. Urgent initiatives include incorporating endangered frog species into international conservation agreements and boosting consumer awareness of the ethical and environmental consequences of the frog leg trade.