AAMPHIBIAN CCONSERVATION Monthly Report • june 2007

Meetings Admin Updates ATAG Meeting in Omaha New Studbook Keeper/Species Coordinator Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo hosted the annual The new species AZA Herp Taxon Advisory Groups’ meetings coordinator for the from April 28 to May 4, 2007. Participants got a Wyoming toad is Bruce firsthand view of the Zoo's captive assurance Foster ([email protected]), population facilities, which are built in from WCS’s Central Park accordance with the strict biosecurity standards Zoo. Sarah Kipp developed at a 2006 CBSG/WAZA amphibian ([email protected]) husbandry workshop, as well as the Zoo’s from Omaha’s Henry Doorly amphibian-themed educational materials. Zoo is the Wyoming toad’s © R. Andrew Odum, new studbook keeper. During the Amphibian TAG (ATAG) meeting, Toledo Zoo leaders from AZA institutions reported on significant conservation projects for amphibian New Staff Position Addresses Amphibian Crisis species in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central AZA is the first regional zoological association to America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Participants create and fund a position dedicated to helping discussed the unique husbandry challenges members engage in amphibian conservation. presented by each species, highlighting the Shelly Grow joined AZA in this role on May 1, 2007. expertise of the staff at AZA institutions. To Contact her with questions or to share your learn about opportunities to support ongoing amphibian success stories at [email protected] or amphibian conservation projects, visit the 301-562-0777 x263. February 2007 issue of Connect (http://www.aza.org/Publications/2007/02/) or Amphibian Newsletter – Call for Submissions email ATAG chair Diane Barber Help make this newsletter grow by sending ([email protected]). announcements about your amphibian efforts, amphibian-related trainings and funding Species Prioritization Meeting in Fort Worth opportunities, news on regulatory changes that ATAG steering committee members and several affect amphibians, etc. to Shelly Grow, advisors and experts will work together to [email protected]; 301-562-0777 x263. prioritize at-risk North American species for conservation action and to update the TAG’s Year of the Frog regional collection plan. The Fort Worth Zoo is YOTF Task Force Formed hosting the meeting July 30-August 3, 2007. Representatives from five AZA committees/programs and AZA staff will develop Amphibian Biology & Management Course educational and public awareness materials to help AZA’s Board of Regents is offering its Amphibian AZA members celebrate 2008 as the Year of the Biology & Management course for a second time Frog. Preliminary materials will be featured at in 2007 to accommodate member interest. AZA’s Annual Conference in September. To learn Registration for the October 2007 session is more, visit: http://www.aza.org/ConScience/ already filled with students who were on the waiting list for the April 2007 session. Registration opens in August for the April 2008 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY session (http://www.aza.org/prodev/), Be sure The Project Golden Frog/Atelopus to register early! ABM is hosted at the Toledo Conservation Trust offers grants up to Zoo. Topics cover husbandry, population $5,000 for conservation programs that management, and global efforts addressing increase basic knowledge of or protect the amphibian population declines. endangered Panamanian golden frog and other Atelopus species. Submissions are due July 1. For more information, visit: http://www.ranadorada.org/act.html. 1

News from the Field Kihansi Spray Toad PHVA By: Andy Odum, The Toledo Zoo A CALL TO ACTION

A Population and Habitat Viability Assessment workshop for the Kihansi spray toad Support the axolotl’s recovery

(Nectophrynoides asperginis) was held 14-18 May The axolotl salamander (Ambystoma in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. AZA members from the mexicanum) is a critically endangered

Bronx, Toledo, and San Diego Zoos met with salamander found only in Lake Xochimilco in

CBSG facilitators, scientists, and government and Mexico City, Mexico. A multi-disciplinary,

World Bank officials to develop a long-range stakeholder-driven conservation plan with an strategy to reintroduce the spray toad back to itemized budget and input from the Toronto

Tanzania. The Kihansi spray toad was known as Zoo was developed in January 2007. You can having the smallest distribution of any frog in the support this plan by funding any of its world with less than four hectares of habitat in components, such as: a project coordinator the torrential rain-like spray zones created by ($22,000/year), long-term monitoring the waterfalls of the Kihansi gorge. When the stations ($20,000), in-country captive toad’s survival was placed in jeopardy by a dam breeding research ($3,000), genetic project in the gorge in 2000, the Bronx Zoo variability research ($2,500), water quality transferred 500 toads to the U.S. as an analyses ($15,000), environmental education assurance population. This transfer was workshops ($2,800), curriculum development fortunate, as the wild population crashed in 2003 ($4,500), educational opportunities for and the toad is now believed extinct in the wild. fishermen and boat operators ($3,000), or The last remaining toads consist of other projects. For more information or to approximately 500+ individuals currently pledge your support, contact Bob Johnson residing at the Bronx and Toledo zoos. ([email protected]).

Particular focus during To all amphibian conservation program the workshop was leaders: The axolotl salamander’s multi- placed on determining the cause of the final pronged conservation plan includes a detailed extinction of the wild list of conservation and education activities and associated costs. This format helps population and appropriate measures potential donors identify activities and costs to mitigate potential that match their resources and may serve as a useful template to other program leaders pathogen transfers from U.S. captives to seeking financial support. © R. Andrew Odum, Tanzania. Strategies Toledo Zoo Help find the mountain yellow-legged frog developed include outlining suitable bio-secure quarantine The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is looking procedures both in the U.S. and Tanzania, and for field assistants to help survey for extant populations of the critically endangered essential medical research. Research projects to determine the final cause of extinction were also mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) formulated by attendees. during July and August. USGS has specifically asked for zoo and aquarium help. This is an The travel included a trip to the Kihansi gorge so easy and economical way for zoos and that AZA zoo personnel could study the habitat aquariums, especially those in California, to of the spray toad. Lessons learned while in the help with a critically endangered species’ field gorge will be used to refine toad husbandry project. The work includes hiking to fairly protocols in the United States. remote areas and may require overnight camping. To participate, contact Andy Snider The PHVA was funded by contributions from ([email protected]). Due to The Toledo Zoo, The Bronx Zoo, and World Bank travel, Andy will respond after June 10, 2007. and was conducted by the IUCN CBSG, under the auspices of the Lower Kihansi Environmental Management Project.

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