Vancouver Aquarium’s Effort to Save Amphibians

Dennis A. Thoney, Ph.D. Darren Smy Kris Rossing Amphibians Are In Trouble

 30% - 1,895 of 6,285 amphibians species assessed are threatened with extinction (IUCN)

 6% - 382 are near threatened

 25% - 1,597 are data deficient Amphibians Are In Trouble

 126 species believed to be extinct in wild

 39 are extinct in wild but survive in captivity How Are They Disappearing?

 Chytridiomycosis  Habitat destruction  Toxicants  Introduction of invasive species  Climate change Amphibian ARK

The IUCN is calling on zoos and aquariums to participate in the global response to this conservation crisis. Recognizing that the rate of decline far outpaces the ability to respond to environmental problems in situ, captive assurance populations have been recognized as the only hope for survival for many amphibian species and will buy time to respond to threats in the wild. The WAZA (World Association of Zoos & Aquariums), IUCN/ CBSG (Conservation Breeding Specialist Group), the IUCN/ASG (Amphibian Specialist Group), and regional zoological associations have hosted a series of workshops and developed a number of resources to support the zoological community’s ex situ response to this crisis. Amphibians Are In Trouble

 500 – estimated species whose threats currently cannot be mitigated quickly enough to prevent extinction

 Each of the 500 largest zoos need to take on at least one species. Amphibians Are In Trouble

 500 – estimated species whose threats currently cannot be mitigated quickly enough to prevent extinction

 Each of the 500 largest zoos need to take on at least one species.

 10 managed species in AZA zoos and aquariums

 50 extrapolated globally which is only 10% Amphibian Species Maintained by Zoos & Aquariums Globally

 International Species Information System (ISIS) data base – 800 zoological institutions in 80 countries

 Number of species maintained (Feb 2012) – 661 species and subspecies maintained.

 105,016 individual animals (groups not included) Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Amphibian Taxon Advisory Group SSP/PMP Programs

 Atelopus varius Harlequin golden frog

 Atelopus zeteki Panamanian golden frog

 Anaxyrus (Bufo) houstonensis Houston toad

 Peltophryne lemur Puerto Rican crested toad

 Anaxyrus (Bufo) baxteri Wyoming toad  Dendrobates azureus Blue poison dart frog

 Lithobates sevosa Dusky gopher frog

 Mantella aurantiaca Golden mantella

 Tylototriton shanjing Emperor (Mandarin) newt

 Eurycea rathbuni Texas blind cave salamander

FROGS FOREVER 2008

• Ordinal taxonomy • Habitat diversity 24 Exhibits • Reproduction 26 species • Prey/predator significance • Chytrid fungus • Invasive species • Amphibians as food • Extinction • VA recovery programs Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Bufonidae

Incilius alvarius Bufo marinus Colorado river toad Cane toad

Melanophryniscus stelzneri Bumblebee toad Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Hyperoliidae

Hyperolius sp. Reed frog

Afrixalus fornasini Spiny reed frog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Leptodactylidae

Ceratophrys ornata Bell’s horn frog

Leptodactylus pentadactylus Smoky jungle frog

Ceratophrys cranwelli Cranwell's horned frog

Ceratophrys cornuta Horned frog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Ranidae

Rana berlandieri Rio Grande leopard frog

Lithobates catesbeiana American bullfrog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Hylidae

Phyllomedusa sauvagii Waxy tree frog

Agalychnis callidryas Red-eyed tree frog

Hyla cinerea Green tree frog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Dendrobatidae

Dendrobates tinctorius Epipedobates tricolor Dyeing/blue poison frog Phantasmal poison frog Ameerega trivittatus Three-striped dart frog Ranitomeya imitator Phyllobates terribilis Imitating dart frog Dendrobates auratus Golden dart frog Green & black poison frog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Pipidae

Xenopus laevis African clawed frog

Pipa pipa Suriname toad

 Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Discoglossidae

Bombina orientalis Fire bellied toad Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Microhylidae

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Dyscophus guineti Sambava tomato frog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Arthroleptidae

Leptopelis vermiculatus Big-eyed tree frog Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Mantillidae

Mantella madagascariensis & M. boroni Malagasy & painted mantella Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Caudata

Ambystoma tigrinum Taricha granulosa granulosa Tiger salamander Northern roughskin newt

Ambystoma mexicanum Axolotl

Paramesotriton hongkongensis Hong Kong warty newt Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Typhlonectidae

Typhlonectes natans Rio Cauca caecilian Vancouver Aquarium’s Amphibian Program Breeding or Attempting to Breed

 Rana pretiosa Oregon spotted frog  Rana pipiens BC Northern leopard frog  Agalychnis callidryas Red-eyed tree frog  Hyperolius sp. Reed frog  Dendrobates auratus Green & black poison frog  Dendrobates tinctorius Dyeing/blue poison frog  Ranitomeya imitator Imitating dart frog  Epipedobates tricolor Phantasmal poison frog  Ameerega trivittatus Three-striped dart frog  Phyllobates terribilis Golden dart frog  Pipa pipa Suriname toad  Atelopus zeteki Panamanian golden frog  Bombina orientalis Fire bellied toad  Paramesotriton hongkongensis Hong Kong warty newt  Typhlonectes natans Rio Cauca caecilian  Taricha granulosa Rough skin newts

Vancouver Aquarium Assurance Populations

Fourth species??

Rana pretiosa Rana pipiens Atelopus zeteki Oregon spotted frog Panamanian golden frog BC Northern leopard frog Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) Assurance Population

 Endangered in BC; extant in four Fraser River wetlands

 About 300 breeding females in the wild

 Assurance Population started in 2008 with yr07 and yr08 frogs

 49 founder genetic strains in captivity (205 frogs total at VA)

 Collect 5 to 10 eggs each year and surplus extras of each group

 Keep individuals from a few F2 generation to test viability Oregon Spotted Frog Housing

Greenhouses on roof 25 and 40 gal tanks and filter systems

Additional, larger Greenhouse to be installed this year Oregon Spotted Frog Breeding Year 2010

• Maintained and bred in 25 & 40 gal tanks • Reduced water level to 8 cm in February • Animals fed on crickets & earthworms to satiation • Reorient plastic plants to vertical • Replicated water and air temperature in wild • Started calling underwater in February • Raised water level to 15 cm in November • Paired yr3 frogs • Add maple leaf substrate & place plastic plants • Bred at about 7 degrees C early March horizontal • Three egg masses resulting in 300 tadpoles • Natural photo period in greenhouses • First breeding success in captivity! Oregon Spotted Frog Breeding Year 2011

Treated 50% of frogs with Amphiplex • Treated frogs started laying eggs within • Tadpoles produced 2 days 1,950 tadpoles released in wild • Clutches ranged from 100-1,200 eggs 400 tadpoles raised to metamophs for tag study • 10 females produce 7 clutches 600 tadpoles used in growth/survival study • Eggs took approx. 14 days to hatch 50 tadpoles kept to generate F2 generation • Small number of yr2 frogs bred Also released approx 75 2010 metamorphs OSF release site Oregon Spotted Frog Breeding Year 2012

Treated 30% of frogs with Amphiplex • Frogs laid eggs over several days • Amphiplex treated frogs did not spawn; • 25 females produced 17 clutches females likely not with ripe eggs • Clutches ranged from 300-1,000 eggs • 2,828 tadpoles released into wild • 29 tadpoles retained to produce F2 generation Earth Rangers Project Aldergrove Park Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) Assurance Population

 Poster child for CAZA Frog Crisis

 Widest distribution in Canada

 Endangered in British Columbia

 Occurs in two wetlands, one of two is natural Northern Leopard Frog Housing Northern Leopard Frog Breeding Year 2012

• Followed in situ temp and photoperiod • Treated 7 of 19 yr3 frogs with Amphiplex • Few non-treated frogs in amplexus • No frogs bred • Likely not ripe with eggs • Cool spring • Try again in 2013 with yr3 & yr4 frogs Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelolepus zeteki ) Assurance Population

• Species extinct in wild? • 1,537 individuals in assurance population • Maintained by 49 ISIS institutions • Expect to breed species this year • Create stream habitat following AZA husbandry manual guidelines New Secure Tropical Amphibian Room AQUARIUMS NEED TO DO MORE!! Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the financial assistance provided by the Province of British Columbia and the Vancouver Aquarium Conservation Foundation Board

We also would like to acknowledge Lee Newman, Curator of Tropics, for helping to manage resources associated with the Frog Conservation program at the Vancouver Aquarium.