EcoVivarium and San Diego Herpetological Society have discovered a growing reptile and amphibian crisis in the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster region. There are volunteers and organizations working to rescue the animals but, there is a severe shortage of money to fund these endeavors. The Gulf Aide Project is a grassroots effort to fill the G.A.P. in funding these rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
There are hundreds of varieties reptiles and amphibians found throughout the Gulf Coast region. The affected species, especially the critically endangered turtles and frogs, are facing catastrophic losses. The damage is not limited to existing animals, but extends to future generations due to disruption of the breeding season and loss of nesting and reproductive habitats. Some species already hovering on the brink of extinction could disappear forever.
A less obvious, but potentially more severe impact is to the delicate food web that exists in this region. This web includes a host of insects, small rodents and feeder aquatic animals. Disruption of the food web will extend far beyond the coastal regions.
There are many well-funded many charities currently in place to serve the mammals and birds native to the Gulf Coast region; but the reptile and amphibian rescue efforts are grossly under-funded. To meet this need we have created the Gulf Aide Project. We invite you to step out on to the wild side to bridge the G.A.P. and save the reptiles and amphibians of the Gulf Coast before it is too late.
