Over-harvesting
The global market for frog legs and for pet frogs and salamanders is extensive. Between 1998 and 2002, nearly 15 million wild-caught amphibians were legally imported into the United States. Considering that there is also a large illegal trade in amphibians (the numbers of which are never reported), that the United States accounts for only about 15% of the world's amphibian trade, and that many amphibians are also used domestically in their country of harvest, it is likely that well over 100 million amphibians are removed from the wild each year. This level of harvest is without a doubt unsustainable, and is a large contributor to population declines in many regions. As such, we strongly advise against purchasing or consuming any wild-caught amphibian. If you are not certain of the origin of the amphibian in question, please assume it is wild-caught and act accordingly.