Bufo margaritifera by John Wilkinson ISSN 1026-0269 F ROGLOG Newsletter of the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force February 2003, Number 55. The Himalayan Newt ( Tylototriton swamps, rain puddles and artificial -To plan interventions of pond fishing ponds, but the majority of the restorations. verrucosus) , an Endangered breeding sites are temporary ponds -To collect data in the regions where Species of India with very low depth. presence of this species is argued or Despite the relative abundance anecdotally reported (Sikkim, of T. verrucosus in the area (as a Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, matter of fact all the suitable sites Manipur). Reliable data on the extent By Daniele Seglie & examined are inhabited by the of occurrence and area of occupancy Prof. Debjani Roy, species), the habitats are of the Himalayan newt will allow DAPTF Seed Grant Holders 2002 disappearing at a dangerously rapid assessment of the risk of extinction in rate: about 30% of the sites found the whole Indian territory. Tylototriton verrucosus is the only from 1998 to 2000 were destroyed -To collect data on life history, biology species of the order Caudata in the before June 2002. The most common and population structure in the Indian Indian subcontinent. It is reported from cause of destruction is the draining by Himalayan region to better plan the the mountainous region of southwest local people for utilizing the land for long-term conservation of T. China, North Vietnam, Thailand, cultivation. Furthermore, 50% of the verrucosus. Burma, Bhutan,east Nepal and remaining sites are under threat of northeast India. Acknowledgements. destruction as a consequence of the We thank Prof. C. Giacoma for Although the Himalayan newt development of tourist and economic is listed under the endangered valuable suggestions and opinions. activities in the area. Our best thanks to Mr. Bijoy Tamang, category of the India Wildlife The India Wildlife (Protection) (Protection) Act of 1972, the actual for field assistance, and to his family Act of 1972 only protects the animals for hearty hospitality. conservation status of this species has against wildlife trafficking and does not Contact: D. Seglie, Dipartimento di not been systematically investigated. prevent habitat loss. The Social The lack of precise knowledge on life Forestry Department of the Darjeeling Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, history, morphology and distribution Gorkha Hill Council has undertaken Università di Torino. Via Accademia prevents the formulation of any long- some initiatives to preserve the Albertina, 17, 10123 Torino, Italy. [email protected] term conservation action plan. To fill habitats of the Himalayan newt (like this information gap, Professor D. Roy periodical surveys of some of the Prof. D. Roy, Institute of Self and M. Mushahidunnabi conducted a breeding ponds) but, due to the lack of Organising Systems and Biophysics, survey in the Darjeeling District from funds, these actions aren’t sufficient to North Eastern Hill University, Shillong 1998 to 2000 with assistance from grant a long-term protection of the – 793 022, India. [email protected] WWF for Nature, India. During this sites. period 23 habitats of T. verrucosus From the observations M. Mushahiddunnabi, c/o Sukbir were identified. collected during the survey evidencing Tamang, Forest Range Office, Sukhia In June 2002, under the a rapid population decline, we suggest Pokhrii, Darjeeling – 734221, West permission of the Chief Wildlife to insert T. verrucosus in the Red List Bengal, India. Warden of the state of West Bengal, of IUCN. Furthermore, the focusing of Pathogens and another intensive survey was international attention on the conducted to examine the status of conservation problems of this species Amphibian breeding sites and to evaluate the will help the local conservation Declines decline of this species, in order to organisations and authorities to get formulate further action plans for the funds for the protection of the By James P. Collins conservation of the animals. The study breeding sites. area covered during the survey of Emerging infectious diseases, June 2002 was approximatively 800 Recommendations for future especially those caused by fungi km2 in the Darjeeling District, West conservation plans include: (chytrids) and viruses (ranaviruses), Bengal, India. The area is located on -To insert T. verrucosus in the IUCN are among the suspected causes of the Himalayan flanks in one of the Red List to focus the attention of amphibian declines. In 1998 an biodiversity hotspots and wilderness National and International international team developed a areas identified by Conservation organisations on the conservation of research program that integrated International. this species. disciplines from molecular biology to T. verrucosus occurs in all the -To guide the local authorities in the global change to address the types of aquatic lentic habitats protection of the threatened sites in question: Why are pathogens causing investigated -permanent ponds, the Darjeeling District. some amphibian population to decline, The World Conservation Union (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC) The Open University " The World Congress of Herpetology " Harvard University even to extinction? Two grants from infection? Are there environmental crevices in the rocks. Due to the U.S. National Science conditions that increase the likelihood excessive grazing pressure these Foundation’s (NSF) Integrated that animals become ill? An sponges are rapidly being destroyed Research Challenges in expanded international team will and less and less seepage is Environmental Biology (IRCEB) continue using experiments and occurring. Trees growing in cracks in program have funded the collaborative observations in the field and the rocks are being cut down for research projects of 26 principal laboratory to answer these and related firewood which, again, alters the investigators plus their graduate questions. Modeling is a central rainfall infiltration and increases runoff. students and postdoctoral associates. element of the new award that will Due to aggressive new settlers, Alliances have also been forged with enhance our ability to integrate this site is no longer available to me other investigators funded through a diverse biological sub-disciplines. but I would imagine that the situation joint NSF/National Institutes of Health We welcome collaborations is now worse than on my last visit. program for the Ecology of Infectious with other investigators studying All in all, this is a man-made Diseases and another NSF-funded pathogens and amphibians. Our disaster that will have a widespread program, Research and Analysis experience is that researchers and and long-term impact on Zimbabwe's Network for Neotropical Amphibians students derive great benefits from fragile environment and its (RANA). being part of a larger set of amphibians. In many populations, hosts and interactions. It also seems clear that, pathogens coexist and each shows in addition to the efforts of individual Adaptive Cluster regular increases and decreases in investigators, we need interdisciplinary Sampling for population size. At times, however, a research and training strategies for Amphibians pathogen nearly or completely analyzing the declining amphibian decimates its host population. Our problem in an integrated way. Our first grant (“Host-pathogen biology and webpage address is: ByLee-Ann C. Hayek & Ron Heyer, the global decline of amphibians,” http://lifesciences.asu.edu/irceb/am Smithsonian Institution 1999-2002) tested the basic phibians/ Although amphibian fieldwork mechanisms underlying each of these sampling needs to be done according patterns using amphibians as a model. Zimbabwe's Fast Track Land to what we know of statistical The leading questions were: How do Re-Settlement and its Impact on principles, we often wish our random pathogens influence host population Amphibians selection had been in a better, more dynamics? Are these newly productive area. Field samples are introduced pathogens, or has the From a correspondent in Zimbabwe often pitiably small in number or non- virulence of historically benign Zimbabwe's fast track land re- informative, yet we know the amphibian associates changed? settlement programme has received amphibians are out there, somewhere Have recent environmental changes considerable world attention, mainly beyond the boundaries of our altered amphibian-pathogen because of its impact on the human samples. Use of the techniques of interactions? The team of molecular population involved. There has been, Adaptive Cluster Sampling (ACS) is biologists, immunologists, patholo- however, a considerable modification one way to enhance our catch or gists, population ecologists and to the environment which has observations for certain types of epidemiologists is using experiments impacted all life forms, including sampling techniques. Below we and observations in the field and amphibians. Indigenous forest is describe the basics of this approach laboratory to answer these and related being destroyed at an alarming rate. and give a reference for further questions. Partially because of the Uncontrolled fires have burnt out a information. different roles they apparently play in high percentage of the former DEFINITION Adaptive Cluster declines, we initially hypothesized that commercial farming areas. Where ranaviruses have an older relationship Sampling (ACS) designs are statistical ploughing is taking place, little strategies for the selection of initial