 In the past three decades , declines in populations of amphibians ( the class of organisms that includes frogs , toads , salamanders , newts , and caecilians ) have occurred worldwide . In 2004 , the results were published of the first worldwide assessment of amphibian populations , the Global Amphibian Assessment . This found that 32 % of species were globally threatened , at least 43 % were experiencing some form of population decrease , and that between 9 and 122 species have become extinct since 1980 . As of 2010 , the IUCN Red List , which incorporates the Global Amphibian Assessment and subsequent updates , lists 486 amphibian species as " Critically Endangered " . Despite the high risk this group faces , recent evidence suggests the public is growing largely indifferent to this and other environmental problems , posing serious problems for conservationists and environmental workers alike . 
