U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Amphibians In Decline Fund Program

In the last five urgently to protect the remaining

years, there populations of amphibians across the

has been a world. drastic decline in the number On average, populations of all of amphibians around the world. amphibians examined vanished About a third of the 6,771 identified from habitats at a rate of 3.7 percent species of amphibians in existence each year. If the rate observed are threatened with extinction is representative and remains or are extinct. However, about unchanged, these species would 200 new species are also being disappear from half of the habitats discovered each year. Nearly 6,800 they currently occupy in about species may seem like a large 20 years. The more threatened number, however, most of these species, considered ‘‘Red-Listed’’in creatures live in small, concentrated an assessment by the global populations with scarce resources. organization International Union for An overwhelming number of these Lake Titicaca frogs for sale. Conservation of Nature, disappeared Credit: Robert Elias amphibians are in desperate need of from their studied habitats at a rate conservation strategies to prevent and collaborators concluded that of 11.6 percent each year. If the their extinction. Amphibians In U.S. amphibian declines may rate observed is representative and Decline is the only dedicated federal be more widespread and severe remains unchanged, these Red- government fund that protects than previously realized, and that Listed species would disappear from amphibians such as frogs, toads, significant declines are notably half of the habitats they currently salamanders, newts, and caecilians. occurring even in protected national occupy in about six years. parks and wildlife refuges. In the Central American cloud In 2010, the US Fish and Wildlife forests, Harlequin frogs are ‘‘Amphibians have been a constant Service created the Amphibians in mysteriously disappearing presence in our planet’s ponds, Decline Fund, to address this global from their habitat. So are toads streams, lakes and rivers for 350 amphibian crisis. It is an initiative and salamanders in Colombia million years or so, surviving to provide financial assistance and and Western India, and the countless changes that caused technical know how for efforts underground Caecilian, a species many other groups of animals to go that conserve highly endangered found in Western and Eastern extinct,’’ said USGS Director Suzette amphibian species internationally. Africa. Caecillians are often Kimball. ‘‘This is why the findings The goal of this program is to build mistaken for snakes or earthworms. of this study are so noteworthy; a networked community that is Without thorough investigation they demonstrate that the pressures addressing amphibian conservation. and immediate conservation amphibians now face exceed the action, these rare species may be ability of many of these survivors to completely wiped off the face of the cope.’’ earth in a few years. The IUCN Red List of Threatened In the United States the USGS Species™ has identified amphibians issued a report in May of 2013 as being the most threatened that said that the first-ever vertebrate group assessed so far, estimate of how fast frogs, toads with around 41% at risk of extinction. and salamanders in the United Extinctions and large scale declines States are disappearing from their of amphibian species have been habitats reveals they are vanishing variously attributed to habitat loss, at an alarming and rapid rate. pollution, fires, climate change, disease and over-exploitation. The The study by USGS scientists IUCN says that action must be taken Axoltol salamander Credit: Elsa Valiente

The Wildlife Without Borders - Amphibians in Decline Fund program has supported conserva- tion projects starting in 2010. The program has funded 40 projects with $1,034,142 in 25 coun- tries and leveraged with an additional $2,604,122.46 in matching funds.

To date, the Amphibians in o Mining: 4% Decline Fund has successfully supported conservation efforts Percentages of conservation to protect the Chinese great actions supported through salamander, Cameroon’s USFWS grants: caecilian, and the Panamanian golden frog, among others. The o Species management: 100% Amphibians In Decline Fund has o Education and awareness funded 40 projects, since 2010, campaigns: 81% in 25 countries. The Service’s o Land management: 23% o Formal protection policy: 4% support often acts as a catalyst to leverage funding from other o Economic incentives: 4% sources for these projects. From 2010-2013, the Wildlife Without Examples of projects Borders - Amphibians In Decline Fund has awarded $1,034,142 o Bolivia: The USFWS is supporting Toad Mountain HarlequinFrog that was leveraged with the Museo de Historia Natural Credit: Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

$2,604,122.46 in matching funds Alcide d’Orbigny in implementing for amphibian conservation. the Bolivian Amphibian Initiative o Ecuador: In partnership with to survey some of the country’s Zoological Society, the USFWS is most endangered amphibian supporting conservation efforts species for the presence of the to protect the Spotted Harlequin deadly fungus, chytrid. frog by building an isolated frog propagation facility or a ‘‘Noah’s o India: In partnership with the Ark.’’ Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society and Zoo o South Africa: In partnership Outreach Organization, the with, CapeNature, the USFWS is USFWS is supporting efforts to helping to protect the Rough Moss survey the occurrence of chytrid Frog through the management in the Western Ghats, a hotspot of invasive pine tree species that for amphibians in India. increases the risk of catastrophic fire in the ecosystem. o Kenya: USFWS is supporting

the National Museum of Kenya o Hong Kong: The USFWS is to work with local farmers to supporting EcoHealth Alliance plant trees and maintain suitable to conduct surveillance at cropland for the Sagella caecilian, the airport to determine if a subterranean amphibian that Bathrachochytrium dendrobatidis Emerald Glass Frog occurs in less than five square (Bd), a chytrid fungus that causes Credit: Smithsonian Conservation Biology miles of habitat. the disease chytridiomycosis, is Institute being introduced through the o Madagascar: Illegal gold mining illegal amphibian trade from Amphibian in Decline Fund Grants is destroying the breeding ponds China. Percentages of Activities Supported by of the golden mantilla frog in Madagascar. To combat this o Disease and invasive species: 58% threat, the USFWS is supporting U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service o Habitat loss caused by a local NGO, Madagaskira International Affairs agriculture: 31% Voakajy, to establish a village- Division of International Conservation o Pollution: 19% based conservation organization 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: IA o Habitat loss caused by residential that will restore and guard golden Falls Church, VA 22041 and commercial development: 12% mantilla frog breeding sites. 703-358-1754 o Harvest: 8% 703-358-2115/fax [email protected] Amphibians In Decline Grant Funding from 2010 through 2014 http://www.fws.gov/international Total Number of Grant Proposals Received 189 CFDA# 15.672 March 2015 Total Number of Grants Awarded 40 Total Funds Distibuted through Grants $1,034,142

Total Matching/In-kind Funds Leveraged by Grants $2,604,122