AAMPHIBIAN CCONSERVATION Monthly Report • May 2008

Meetings

Northwest Amphibian Conservation Meetings HUGE RESPONSE TO AZA AMPHIBIAN FUND Suzanne Rosen, Oregon A tremendous number of individuals and On April 7, 2008, Oregon Zoo and Oregon organizations responded to AZA's 2008 call Department of Fish and Wildlife hosted an for conservation grant proposals. 103 Amphibian Conservation Workshop to develop proposals seeking over $2.2 million were interdisciplinary collaborations and strengthen received; 41 ($965,660) proposals requested efforts to understand and curb amphibian support for amphibian conservation, declines in the Pacific Northwest. Over 140 education, and research. Proposal reviews are biologists, local/state/federal agency employees, now underway and funding decisions will be researchers, private landowners, restorationists, announced in September. watershed council members, land managers, students, and interested citizens attended.

Highlights included a presentation on frog malformations by Mike Lannoo, a professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, as well as Amphibian Ark will launch its summer campaign, presentations about expected climate change ‘5 for Frogs’ on May 3, in conjunction with scenarios, the Oregon Conservation Strategy, National Wildlife Federation’s FrogWatch 2008: invasive species, the Northwest Regional Record the Ribbit and the National Association of Working Group of PARC (see below), and state Biology Teachers. The campaign is built around and federal amphibian conservation priorities. the number 5, and includes a list of 50 things that Afternoon sessions trained participants to use the general public can do over the summer to help the Northwest Amphibian and Reptile Habitat frogs. The campaign’s ambitious goal is to raise Management Guidelines and discussed data $500,000 in five months to secure the future of a collection, gaps in current data sets, and issues minimum of five amphibian species. Learn more needing research attention. Participants will stay at: www.amphibianark.org/50ways.htm. connected through an online discussion group. Volume 42 of the International Zoo Yearbook has The first annual meeting of the Northwest been published. This volume, guest edited by Regional Working Group of Partners in Kevin Zippel and Gordon Reid of AArk, features Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) was amphibian conservation as its specialist section, held February 25-26, 2008 in Missoula, MT. and includes articles detailing the crisis and some Forty-eight participants from ten U.S. states and of the husbandry and technical issues facing Canadian provinces and territories gathered for as they attempt to ensure a future for frogs. For a presentations and to establish task forces to full list of articles and details on how to access address pressing issues over the next year. For IZY, visit: www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/izy/42/1. more information or to get involved, visit: www.parcplace.org/regionalupdates.html#northwest. Kevin Johnson, AArk Training Officer, will lead an amphibian prioritization workshop in Hong Kong Improving Amphibian Husbandry Skills on May 22-23 at Ocean Park. Results from other Students from across the United States, , prioritization workshops are available at: , Guatemala, Australia, Ecuador, and th www.amphibianark.org/databases.htm. For more China attended the 6 AZA Board of Regents details on these and upcoming workshops, Amphibian Biology and Management course April contact [email protected] or 12-17 at the Toledo Zoo. Students developed an [email protected]. amphibian masterplan for their institution Submitted by: Lesley Dickie, 2008 Year of the Frog Global complete with collection and facility plans, a Campaign Manager conservation interpretive graphic, an in-situ or ex-situ conservation program, and a local Monthly Report Submission Information conservation program. Future course offerings Send Monthly Report submissions to Shelly Grow are found at: www.aza.org/prodev. ([email protected], 301-562-0777 x263).

1 From the Field Looking for the Large-crested Toad Luis Carrillo, Africam Safari A CALL TO ACTION

The Large-crested toad (Ollotis cristata) was believed to be extinct until researchers from the Record the Ribbit on May 3 Universidad Autónoma de (BUAP) Ashleigh Poff, National Wildlife Federation rediscovered the species in 1995 in the Sierra Spring has sprung, and with it, the sound of Norte de Puebla in two locations where it had trilling frogs and toads can be heard across the not been previously reported. Endemic to country. The days are longer and evening hours Mexico, O. cristata was a flurry of outdoor activity. Slow down this formerly distributed in spring and share time with your family and the states of Veracruz friends on Saturday, May 3, 2008 to celebrate and Puebla. Today it is FrogWatch 2008: Record the Ribbit. found only in Puebla and is theatened by Join people of all ages as they look and listen water contamination for frogs and toads. Taking part in the Record and cutting for the Ribbit program is easy and free. Just visit O. cristata metamorph. timber and coffee and www.nwf.org/ribbit to learn about amphibians © Luis Carrillo fruit plantations. in your area by listening to their calls and

No searches had been conducted for this species viewing photos of local species. Then head since 1995 until last February when Africam outside on a nature walk. When you’re finished, Safari put together a group of 15 researchers come back to the Record the Ribbit website to from the BUAP, the Universidad Autónoma de share your sightings online. Make sure to take a México (UNAM) and Africam itself to visit the notepad with you to jot down any observations. same locations and others nearby with suitable habitat for the species. The expedition was very Midwest PARC Annual Meeting Announced successful, and tadpoles and some metamorphs Kicking off with a BioBlitz at the nation's first were found in the same two locations where they Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Area, the were found in 1995. Unfortunately, no adults meeting will then lead into two days of were found, despite extensive searching. presentations and working groups in Blue Grass, Iowa September 4-6, 2008. Learn more and Little biological information is known about this register at: www.mwparc.org/. species. In May 2008, Africam Safari and the BUAP will initiate a research project focused on Other Upcoming PARC Annual Meetings learning more about the species’ biology, relative Southwest: June 5-8 in Austin TX; info at density, spatial distribution, and habitat http://chelydra.unm.edu/swparc/meetings.html characteristics. So far it is known that, like many Northeast: August 13-15 in Rector, PA; info at other cloud-forest Bufonid species, they lay eggs www.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc/Meetings/index.htm. during the dry season to prevent stream and river waters from carrying them away and that FUNDING AVAILABLE adults probably remain hidden under the soil until the rainy period begins. Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund Since 1989, Roger Williams Park Zoo and the Africam thanks the Amphibian Project Team Rhode Island Zoological Society have awarded (APT) for supporting this project. An APT grant a total of over 40 annual grants of $1000 each will be used to focus on both the in situ and ex to conservation projects worldwide through the situ conservation of the Large-crested toad. Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund. Many of the supported projects continue to grow and succeed. This is a vital but often unseen part of the zoo’s conservation efforts.

New for 2008: Year Of The Frog is a $5,000 Congratulations! Over one hundred AZA zoos grant for an innovative amphibian conservation and aquariums hosted Parties for the Planet and project taking place in North, South, or Central other Earth Day celebrations. Many used the America. Applications are due June 1, 2008 by event to educate visitors about amphibians. mail. To learn more and apply, visit: Visit www.aza.org/YearoftheFrog for education www.rwpzoo.org/conservation/danforth.cfm. materials and to donate to the Amphibian Fund. 2