The extinction of amphibians is occurring at such a staggering rate that it's rare and wonderful to see a country set goals to work towards conserving them before it's too late.

As reported in a recentpress release, The University of Delhi formed a partnership with Global Wildlife Conservation, the Natural History Museum (London), the IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Conservation International to launch a program called "LOST! Amphibians of India."

"Now is the time to act and show our support for these species of India before they shift from lost to extinct," said Conservation International's President, Dr. Russell Mittermeier.

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India has more lost amphibian species, 48 in total, than any other country in the world. Most of these species have not been seen by scientists for decades, with some missing for over 150 years. The majority of these species are known only by a single preserved specimen in a jar at either the Natural History Museum in London or the Zoological Survey of India. Worse yet, at least 17 lost species exist in name only, having been lost over the past century.

Often referred to as nature's barometers, amphibians are declining at an amazingly fast pace. To visit the website for the program, click here