ISSN 1026-0269 Mantella cowani by Franco Andreone 7 RO8BG8 Newsletter of the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force October 2003, Number 59. Director, at the address on the back of undescribed) frog species. It is DAPTF SEED Froglog , or by e-mail to therefore a race against time to [email protected] discover these taxa and protect them. GRANTS 2004 Proposals should contain: (1) Furthermore, due to their biological Name, affiliation and contact peculiarities and very colourful information of proposer(s), (2) Project appearance, many frogs are annually We are pleased to announce a new title, (3) Description of the intended exported for the pet trade: Mantella round of Seed Grants for 2004. These work, including localities and species (Mantellidae), some Scaphiophryne are intended as one-time awards of involved, (4) Start date and schedule and Dyscophus (Microhylidae), and, in between $500 and $2000 for the of the project, (5) Explanation of how a few cases, Mantidactylus and support or initiation of research that the project will further the DAPTF’s Boophis (Mantellidae). furthers the DAPTF’s mission to mission, (6) Budget breakdown, A recent conservation determine the nature, extent and including details of additional funding synthesis (Andreone & Luiselli, 2003) causes of amphibian population obtained or sought from elsewhere indicated that the harlequin mantella declines. There are two categories in (note that we do not provide funds to Mantella cowani is likely the most this year’s round, thanks to generous support salaries), (7) References, if threatened Madagascan amphibian support from the US Department of appropriate, and (8) Any other because of a combination of sensitivity the Interior’s Amphibian Research and pertinent information. to habitat alteration and to exploitation Monitoring Initiative (ARMI). We will All information acquired with for the pet trade. The few remaining accept applications in Spanish, the support of the DAPTF remains the plateau forests where this species still Portugese and French, as well as in intellectual property of the grant lives are highly fragmented and English. recipient, but must be freely available subject to intensive timber harvesting. ARMI AWARDS. The criterion for to the DAPTF and for the DAPTF’s The species is known from small these awards is that the proposed use in furthering its mission. forests near Ambatolampy and work should be done on species or The closing date for applications is Antoetra. Furthermore, some museum issues of concern in the USA. ARMI 15th December, 2003. vouchers record its presence (at least is particularly interested in funding in the past) in other localities. At research on potential stressors of Antoetra M. cowani was said to be amphibian populations. For more quite common until several years ago information about ARMI, go to: and, for this reason, it has been http://edc2.usgs.gov/armi/ captured in large numbers UNRESTRICTED AWARDS. The It’s Not Carnival for the Harlequin (Rakotomavo, 2001). During January-February 2003, DAPTF welcomes applications that Mantella! Urgent Actions Needed we carried out a pilot project on this address any aspect of amphibian To Conserve Mantella cowani, an declines, but favours joint applications mantella, trying to identify sites with Endangered Frog from the High viable populations. Around Antoetra that involve a partnership between Plateau of Madagascar herpetologists in developed and we confirmed the species’ presence at developing countries. We are also four sites. In general, the habitat By F. Andreone and J. E. prioritizing research that investigates consists of narrow bands of original Randrianirina synergistic effects between two or upland forests along montane more factors that have been identified Little is known about the conservation streams, or humid stone walls on as actual or potential causes of status of amphibians in Madagascar. montane moors. The surrounding amphibian population declines. Ninety-nine per-cent of the (more than habitat is the “typical” deforested 210) anuran species are endemic and upland savannah. At Site 1, despite an Applicants should indicate which of are represented by four families intensive search, only a very few the above categories they have in (Hyperoliidae, Mantellidae, Micro- individuals were found. There, the mind, but we will consider applications hylidae, and Ranidae). Since many of collecting pressure is apparently high in the ARMI category also in the the Malagasy amphibians are since the site is close to the village of Unrestricted category. Do not hesitate connected with forest habitats it is not Antoetra.Children visit it almost every to contact Tim Halliday if you need unreasonable to suggest that the high day to collect the mantellas. We learnt clarification or advice. deforestation rate occurring in this that the current price per individual of Proposals of no more than 4 country has been accompanied by the Mantella cowani is 4-5000 FMG (0,7- pages should be addressed to: Tim extinction of many (possibly 0,8 s)vs. 250-500 FMG(0.04-0.08 s) Halliday, DAPTF International for Mantellabaroni. AtSite 2, we The World Conservation Union (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC) The Open University " The World Congress of Herpetology " Arizona State University found >20 individuals in four research prohibited for some years. Since the Indiana. This project is designed to days. At Site 3 there are still large decline for M. cowani is due to a restore connectivity and ecosystem forest fragments surrounded by slash- combination of habitat alteration and function between three natural area and-burn agriculture ( tavy) with maize capture for the pet trade, a limitation of remnants (totaling ca. 4000 ha). cultivation. Within the forest we found the latter should hopefully result in the Wetland/prairie complexes have been frog species typical of the eastern species’ recovery where habitat is still severely impacted by conversion to rainforests, while within the forest and suitable. During this period of agriculture in the United States, and nearby tavy we found a rich M. baroni suspension, research must be carried surviving remnants are generally small population. A few individuals were out to ascertain the population size and isolated. This restoration is phenotypically recognised as M. and a realistic distribution pattern. designed to create a highly viable cowani. Furthermore, we found in the Acknowledgements . We thank for wetland/grassland complex that will tavy several specimens with financial support DAPTF, WCS and maintain biodiversity into the intermediate chromatic traits between NACC. For companionship and foreseeable future. Once completed, M. baroni and M. cowani; we suspect exchange of information thanks to G. the restoration will create a contiguous that most of them are hybrids. The two Aprea and M. Vences. E. J. Edwards wetland, grassland and savanna species are indeed very closely helped with logistics and personal mosaic harboring a rich assemblage related (Vences et al., 1999). Finally, information. of native plants and animals. we surveyed a fifth site at about 150 The restoration at Kankakee Km North of Antoetra, near Contact: Franco Andreone, Museo Sands represents a bold attempt by Ambatolampy. This area too consists Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via G. TNC to use landscape-scale of small forest parcels within Giolitti, 36, I-10123 Torino, Italy. restoration/reconstruction as a [email protected] savannas, and a narrow riverine strategy to achieve conservation goals forest. Along the stream we found only and Jasmin E. Randrianirina, Parc at a fragmented high-biodiversity site. a single specimen of M. cowani. It is Botanique et Zoologique de Ecological restoration is increasingly difficult to understand if the very low Tsimbazaza, BP 4096, Antananarivo touted as a technique for conserving occurrence of M. cowani reflects a real 101, Madagascar. biodiversity in highly modified and piztgdts.mg scarcity of the species, or if it is due to fragmented landscapes. Indeed, unsuitable weather conditions. References restoration may be the only method of In terms of habitat Andreone F. & Luiselli L.M.(2003) enhancing the integrity of ecological requirements, M. cowani appears a Conservation priorities and potential systems that have been so fully typical stream and moor species. threats influencing the hyper-diverse degraded that few, if any, large natural Although we cannot draw a realistic amphibians of Madagascar: Ital. J. examples remain. But to play a figure of the size of the visited Zool. 70} 53-63. significant role from TNC’s unique populations, our feeling is that they do Rakotomavo E. (2001) Etude de la perspective, restoration must move not exceed more than a few hundred filière Mantella de Madagascar. beyond simple stand-alone projects individuals, usually less than one Report to Office National pour where the restoration is viewed as an hundred. We are concerned about the l’Environnement (ONE), Valorisation end unto itself, to become a widely fact that the harvesting of wild animals de la Biodiversité. used strategy to alleviate threats to is likely to affect natural populations. biodiversity. Vences, M., Glaw, F.& Böhme, W. During our stay at Site 1,we heard To help achieve this, in 1998 (1999) A review of the genus Mantella rumours of the activity of local people, TNC organized a multidisciplinary (Anura, Ranidae, Mantellinae): who collected about 250 individuals in consortium of regional biologists from taxonomy, distribution and one week from about five populations. nine colleges and universities to conservation of Malagasy poison Since the number of persons engaged frogs. Alytes 17: 3-72. develop a coordinated research effort was not less than 50, the mean centered on ecosystem recovery at capture capacity is about 1 mantella Kankakee Sands. The primary per person per day. This is indeed a Amphibian question guiding the consortium is: very low number when compared with Biodiversity Can restoration heal ecological the very high densities of M. Recovery in a damage caused by historical land aurantiaca, M. milotympanum and M.