First Release Trial of Captive-Bred Variable Harlequin Frogs in Panama

FEBRUARY 2018 AMPHIBIAN SURVIVAL ALLIANCE NEWTSLETTER

Got a story you want to share? Drop Candace an email today! [email protected] Stories from our partners around the world © Brian Gratwicke First release trial of captive-bred Variable Harlequin Frogs in Panama

Once common along highland cies. The Variable Harlequin Frog, conservation plan developed by key streams from western Costa Rica to Atelopus varius, takes its name from stakeholders, including Panama’s western Panama, the Variable Harle- the variety of neon colors—green, Ministry of Environment. quin Frog is endangered throughout yellow, orange or pink—juxtaposed its range, decimated by a disease with black on its skin. The frogs The primary aim of this study is to caused by the amphibian chytrid were produced as part of a captive- observe reintroductions and under- fungus. On Jan. 17, Smithsonian breeding colony managed by Heidi stand disease dynamics in a way researchers released approximately Ross as part of the Panama Amphib- that might inform population viabil- 500 frogs at Cobre Panama conces- ian Rescue and Conservation Pro- ity models and future reintroduc- sion site in Panama’s Colon province ject. This study begins implemen- tion efforts. It will be one of several as a first step toward a potential tation of some key reintroduction Atelopus release trials at multiple full-scale reintroduction of this spe- goals identified in the 2013 species sites and elevations throughout their range. Some frogs have persist- may help inform and improve future boa and has full-time staff caring ed with the disease at similar 100m study designs. for a collection of 12 endangered elevations, and the researchers are species. trying to understand whether some The PARC project thanks Cobre sites may have potential to act as Panama, National Geographic Soci- climatic refuges from the fungus. ety, Mohammed bin Zayed Species The scientific team marked indi- Conservation Fund the Smithso- vidual frogs using an elastomer toe nian Women’s Committee and The marking that glows under UV light WoodTiger Fund for their gener- and the frogs will be re-surveyed ous support. PARC is a partnership once monthly for the next 6 months between the Cheyenne Mountain to understand population changes Zoo, the Houston Zoo, the Smithso- and disease dynamics. Additionally, nian Tropical Research Institute, the 15 male and 15 female frogs are Smithsonian Conservation Biology wearing miniature radio transmit- Institute and Zoo New England. The ters to understand dispersal patterns project is based at the Smithsonian of the newly released animals that Tropical Research Institute in Gam-

This is part of a recovery plan in the publication Herpetologia where salamanders will be reared, Brasileira. bred, and experimentally released into protected habitat. Finally, the ASA Secretariat, with support from the ASA Global 2017 was the year with highest Council, has made good progress number of amphibian extinction with the new ASA governance risk assessments completed and documents, and we look forward

© M. Abadie submitted to the IUCN Red List of to finalizing and formally adopting Threatened Species since 2009, them next month. Once this takes - We hope that 2018 is off to a and this has been made possible place, we will be in touch with ASA good start for all of our ASA part- thanks to the generous support of partners to renew membership in ners. This edition highlights how three key ASA partners, allowing the ASA. some ASA partners have wrapped for the operation of a core full-time up 2017 and started 2018 with team and the reassessment and We look forward to being in touch important and creative amphibian assessment of many known and in the near future and would like to conservation work. newly described amphibians. take this opportunity to thank all of our ASA partners in our quest to In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, a In January, a first release trial advance amphibian conservation in partnership with local governments of several hundred captive bred 2018 and beyond. telopus is helping to meet a wetland action Variable Harlequin Frogs (A varius plan through implementation of a ) in Panama’s Colon province citizen science project that focuses is a fundamental first step toward Ariadne Angulo, PhD on building capacity among local a potential full-scale reintroduction Interim Executive Director communities to monitor and report of this frog. Amphibian Survival Allianc on the ecological integrity of wetlands. The Endangered Pickersgill’s This month we also saw the de- Reed Frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli) velopment of a joint Conservation is acting as a flagship for wetland Needs Assessment (CNA) and IUCN conservation in this project. Red List assessment workshop, held in Peninsular Malaysia and In Georgia, USA, the development with promising results for similar of a private outdoor area that future joint workshops. holds aquatic mesocosms which mimic ephemeral wetlands but We continue to miss and remem- under controlled conditions will ber our mentor and staunchest be giving Flatwoods Salamanders supporter George Rabb, and an (Ambystoma cingulatum) a chance. obituary will be published shortly Green is the new red(list) The Amphibian Red List Author- ity (ARLA) is pleased to report that 2017 was our most productive year since its establishment in 2009. With a total of 805 assessments from 16 regions submitted for publication during the calendar year—and many more assessed—we have achieved a 43% increase over publications in 2016, which was our second highest year. We are also proud that the quality and consistency of assessments is much improved, and that they are in compliance with the cur- rent version of the Guidelines.

This encouraging achievement is in no small part thanks to the generous financial support we received in 2017 from Global Wildlife Conserva- tion, Rainforest Trust, and Synchro- nicity Earth. Our operating budget of US$186k was our highest ever and represents a 32% increase over our ARLA. Of course, true to the nature List feed more seamlessly into KBA 2016 budget. These funds provided of IUCN’s Species Survival Commis- identification; increase collaboration the ARLA with a full-time Global sion, the vast majority of the work with Amphibian Ark’s Conservation Coordinator and two Programme is done on a voluntary basis and we Needs Assessments; provide feed- Officers, and funded five “mini” are immensely grateful for the time back into the development of the workshops. As shown in the graph, and energy our colleagues continue IUCN “Green List of species”; and the gradual increase in project to offer. how best to use the cycle of Red List funds raised by the ARLA annually assessments to catalyse species and since 2012 (total of US$59,002 over In 2018, the ARLA will press on regional action planning. 6 years) and used towards work- with assessments in a collaborative shops and paid internships, has had manner, working region-by-region If you are interested in partnership a positive cumulative impact on with our network of Regional Co- opportunities, contact ARLA Global our productivity, with the highest ordinators and experts. To deliver Coordinator, Jennifer Luedtke. submission rate correlating with the a fully-updated GAA we must finish greatest amount of available funds. updating the remaining 3,567 species from 2004-2008 and submit We believe an additional factor in first-time assessments for 1,170 Not our success is our structure, which Evaluated species since 2004. We was established during the 2013- have begun the year without funds 2016 IUCN Quadrennium by the for workshops or internships and former ARLA Coordinator, Ariadne are interested in partnering with Angulo. As a result, the ARLA institutions working on species in consists of the aforementioned Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Carib- central team of full-time paid staff bean, Mesoamerica, Mexico and who collaborate with our volunteer USA; Europe; India and Sri Lanka; leadership: the ARLA Regional Coor- Mainland Southeast Asia; China; and dinators. These Coordinators in turn New Guinea. recruit their colleagues to the ARLA, contribute data, and assess species As we seek ways to clear the fund- against the IUCN Categories and Cri- ing shortfall, we are also working teria. Their leadership has multiplied to identify solutions to procedural the efforts and resources of the roadblocks; ensure data on the Red © Amphibian Foundation

Making Metamorphosis Meadow, a salamander community This winter, the Amphibian Foun- reduced to 3 percent of its origi- In addition to the Flatwoods Sala- dation made tremendous progress nal range in the southeastern U.S. mander, we are working with the towards our comprehensive re- coastal plain. Gopher Frog, Georgia’s rarest frog, covery plan for one of our priority and the Striped Newt, a federally species – the imperiled Frosted In 2017, we received water-stressed threatened species. We and many Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma eggs collected from Florida. Consist- partners across the globe are put- cingulatum). We hold the world’s ent with recent years, there was not ting in a lot of time, effort, and hope only captive population, and our enough rain to fill the ponds holding into this work, and setting up Meta- captive breeding program allows us the eggs. We successfully hatched morphosis Meadow is a huge piece to raise the amphibians in captiv- nearly 90 of these larvae in our of putting the puzzle together. ity and produce offspring that can Atlanta salamander lab. This winter, be experimentally released into we received and hatched around For updates on these project and protected habitat in the wild. The 340 eggs. The mesocosms will assist more, sign up for the Amphibian salamanders are currently housed more than 300 salamanders through Foundation mailing list: StayIn- in a biosecure lab at our facility in metamorphosis this winter. formed.amphibianfoundation. Atlanta, but we are building a one- org. of-a-kind conservation resource for We will introduce invertebrates and these salamanders—nicknamed aquatic bugs after the mesocosms Metamorphosis Meadow— through fill naturally with rain water. These a generous donation from the Sabin tiny endangered animals are hungry Family Foundation. all the time, and the self-contained system will have all the substrate Metamorphosis Meadow is a of a natural ephemeral wetland to private outdoor area that holds help them thrive as they grow. The 20 aquatic mesocosms that mimic imperiled amphibian species will be the natural environment under reared, bred, and experimentally controlled conditions. More specifi- released into protected habitat in cally, we are mimicking ephemeral partnership with Georgia Depart- wetlands. Flatwoods Salamanders ment of Natural Resources and the are temporary wetland breeding U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. amphibians, and breed in fish-less wetlands that dry out periodically The Amphibian Foundation works throughout the year. The salaman- towards comprehensive recovery ders are endemic to the Long Leaf plans for three of the four endan- Pine ecosystem, which has been gered amphibians native to Georgia. Conservation assessments for Malaysian amphibians © Kevin Johnson © Kevin

In January this year, seven Malay- The workshop was hosted by the next couple of months. The Red List sian amphibian experts met with School of Biological Sciences, Uni- Assessments will be reviewed within Programme Officers from the IUCN versiti Sains Malaysia, in Penang, the next few months, with the final Amphibian Red List Authority and and was funded by Rainforest Trust Red List category being determined, Amphibian Ark, to undertake Red and Amphibian Ark. We worked in and the assessment information be- List Assessments and Conservation two groups, split geographically, ing published online. The Conserva- Needs Assessments for Malaysian with one group focussing on spe- tion Needs Assessments will also be amphibians. This joint assessment cies from Peninsular Malaysian, and reviewed, and once approved, will workshop with the IUCN Red List Au- the other group working on species also be available online. thority and the Amphibian Ark was a from Malaysian Borneo. The focal great opportunity for both groups to species were those which either had We hope that the Amphibian Red see each other’s processes, as well not previously been Red Listed, or List Authority and AArk staff have as the outcomes from each set of those whose Red List assessments the opportunity to follow this joint assessments, and to make the best were quite out of date, or those approach to assessments in the fu- use of resources, and of course, the where significant changes had oc- ture, and both groups are currently participants’ time. curred in the wild populations since reviewing their priority countries the last Red List Assessment was and regions to determine potential Red List assessments (www.iucn- made. overlap with future assessments. redlist.org) determine the relative risk of extinction, to highlight those This joint approach to assessments species that are facing a high risk of was very successful, and the par- extinction, while the Conservation ticipants were happy to see recom- Needs Assessments (www.conser- mendations being made for future vationneeds.org) produce prior- conservation actions. Some of the itized recommendations for a range assessments require additional input of conservation actions, which will from experts who were not present hopefully help to prevent further during the workshop, and this will extinctions. hopefully be completed within the © Endangered Wildlife Trust Wildlife © Endangered Assessment of coastal wetland ecology and alien vegetation risk through local community citizen science The Endangered Wildlife Trust its endemism and the ongoing dete- On 1 December 2017, with the help (EWT) is proud to be partnering rioration in, and loss of, its habitat. of the ILembe District Municipal- with ICLEI – Local Governments for Alien invasive plant infestations pose ity Environmental Department, we Sustainability in the Ilembe District a threat to water and biodiversity by interviewed 30 candidates from the Municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal causing sedimentation and drying KwaDukuza, Nyoni and Groutville north coast towards meeting the that changes wetland structure and communities for the position of objectives of the ILembe Wetland function. The costs of recapturing Biodiversity Officers to carry out Strategy and Action Plan. This wetlands is high and it is imperative the work required for these wet- project aims to improve the under- that local community members are land assessments. The interview standing of the value of selected capacitated to provide solutions. Lo- comprised of a three-step process, wetland systems across three areas cal community members contracted including an interactive wetland within the ILembe District Mu- as citizen scientists will monitor and game, a hands-on practical assess- nicipality (Nyoni, Groutville and report on the ecological integrity of ment and one-on-one interviews. In Kwadukuza) to feed into the ILembe wetlands, thus provide a significant total, 18 candidates were selected Wetland Biodiversity and Ecological saving for the municipality as well as and commenced training at the Goods and Services (EGS) knowl- help address poverty within com- respective sites on 4 December. The edge bank through development of munities. Finally, development of an teams have also received training in local citizen science capacity, as well alien invasive plant eradication plan data collection, mini SASS and snake as to develop an Alien Invasive Plant that facilitates local employment awareness. It was identified that the Eradication (AIP) plan for these ar- and capacity development would teams, especially Kwadakuza, have eas. This project is being implement- promote economic efficiency. The a fear for snakes. In response, EWT ed by EWT’s Threatened Amphibian overall outcome of this project is for requested Nick Evans to conduct Programme and the work is in line ecologically important wetlands to a snake awareness demonstration with the objective of implementing be prioritised by the municipality with all the teams. Although there the Biodiversity Management Plan and incorporated into their spatial were a few team members that for the Endangered Pickersgill’s Reed and conservation planning strate- were not responsive to the snakes, Frog, which was gazetted in June gies. Using an Endangered species most of them interacted with the 2017. This species occurs only along as a flagship for wetland conser- snakes after the demonstration. the KwaZulu-Natal coast and is rep- vation will contribute to overall resentative of coastal wetlands. Cur- wetland management objectives as rently, the species exists at only 25 well as contribute to the fulfilment sites, which receive very little pro- of a government-recognised con- tection or management. The species servation plan for this species, and has been prioritised for conservation the important coastal habitat that it action due to its Endangered status, represents. George B. Rabb (1930–2017) By Phillip J. Bishop , Co-Chair IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group/ Chief Scientist Amphibian Survival Alliance, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

The amphibian conservation community is deeply saddened by the loss of one of its greatest and most supportive pioneers. George B. Rabb, President Emeritus of the Chi- cago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo’s Director from 1976 to 2003 and one of the most influential lead- ers of amphibian conservation, died on 27 July 2017, aged 87. Dr. George Rabb, with his focus on amphibians, stands equal in our conservation world among other “giants” such as Jane Goodall and David Attenbor- ough.

George was an intensely private person and when asked in an interview what his favourite animal was, he evaded the question by stating that there are three animals that are commonly associated with his name; the olf, the okapi and the Surinam toad (Pipa pipa). It is with this latter species that I first came to know the name George B. Rabb. Long © Lara As a passionate student studying item. Early in 1960 this same pair of the amazingly complex and unusual amphibian behavioural ecology for Surinam toads bred again and this behaviour of these fascinating toads my PhD, it was with great delight time George and his wife camped but also with respect to the classical that I read George’s articles on the out in front of the tank and man- detailed description and interpreta- very interesting and unusual breed- aged to observe and film the whole tion by a world class naturalist. From ing behaviour of Pipa pipa. oviposition procedure. During these that moment onwards George Rabb observations the Rabbs described, was one of my heros! George first described the develop- for the first time, the unusual and ment of the young Pipa pipa on the unique upside-down egg-laying pro- Two species of amphibians have mother’s back from some captive cess in this fairly common species been named after George. animals held at Brookfield Zoo in (a fascinatingly detailed account, the late 1950s (Rabb and Snedigar, with photographs and diagrams, can 1. The Guatemalan Bromeliad 1960). Perhaps the most interesting be found in Rabb and Rabb, 1960). Salamander (Chiropterotriton rabbi) observations they made were the George also went on to reveal the from western Guatemala was de- feeding of the young frogs while still mechanism for the unusual sound scribed by Lynch and Wake (1975) in the maternal pouches and the production technique used by Pipa and reclassified as Dendrotriton apparent recognition of the young pipa (Rabb, 1960) and the first rabbi by Wake and Elias (1983). by the mother, who allowed the record of chemical attraction in Although locally common, it is young to swim close to her mouth amphibians (Rabb and Rabb, 1963). described as an Endangered species and forearms without attempting I can clearly remember reading and breeds by direct development to eat them – usually a fatal ma- these papers for the first time and in the subtropical-temperate forest noeuvre for any similarly sized prey feeling a sense of awe, not only for transition zone. 2. Rabbs’ Fringe-limbed Treefrog (Ec- servation from the very beginning prepared for a brainstorming session nomiohyla rabborum) was described – he was one of the first herpetolo- on Amphibian Conservation to be by Mendelson et al. (2008) for gists to respond to the crisis when it held at the IUCN World Conserva- George and his wife Mary, in respect was first mooted at the First World tion Congress in Hawai’i in 2016 of all the efforts that the pair had Congress of Herpetology in 1989. George simply replied “Thanks, Phil. made to conserve the thousands of While the news about dramatic I still feel we need to get disease species of frogs and salamanders global amphibian declines might organisms in there. -- George”! We threatened mainly by the active have shocked or paralysed many continue to encourage research negligence of our own species. This amphibian biologists, George quietly on emerging infectious amphibian species is a spectacular large gliding went into action and working closely diseases and this important aspect is frog from the Panamanian forests with David Wake, they formed the recognised in the ASA Strategic Plan of El Valle where it is believed to be Declining Amphibian Populations as one of the five key priorities for endemic. George felt very honoured Task Force (DAPTF) in 1990 to deter- amphibian conservation. to have such an amazing species of mine if the amphibian declines were frog named after him and his late a real phenomenon and, if so, what There is no doubt that George Rabb wife. Unfortunately, this species is were the main drivers. George has was the founding father, and great- listed as Critically Endangered and subsequently been actively involved est supporter, of the Amphibian is probably Extinct, and George (many times by supporting these Conservation movement. To recog- was very dismayed when the efforts with generous funding from nise the huge impact that George last remaining specimen (named his own pocket) in every aspect of had on amphibian conservation, ‘Toughie’) died in 2016 in captiv- amphibian conservation. He was Synchronicity Earth has set up an ity—it was most likely the last one involved in the Global Amphibian Amphibian Fund in George’s name of the species—just as George was Assessment, the founding of the (with his blessing shortly before he the last one of a kind. On hearing Amphibian Ark, the transformation died) and will use this money to con- about the frog’s death, George en- of the DAPTF into the IUCN SSC Am- tinue with George’s dreams “for the sured me that the body was quickly phibian Specialist Group, numerous conservation of a wonderful class transferred to the Frozen Zoo at San Amphibian Conservation Summits, of animals” (see https://www. Diego Zoo and asked me to convey the production of the Amphibian synchronicityearth.org/our-work/ his thanks to Joe Mendelson and Conservation Action Plan (ACAP), funding/expendable-endow- his co-authors Jay Savage, Edgardo the formation of the Amphibian ments/the-amphibian-fund/ for Griffith, Heidi Ross, Brian Kubicki Survival Alliance (ASA) and shortly more details). and Ron Gagliardo for naming this before his death the updating of the species in his honour in their won- latest ACAP. George was always ahead of his derfully illustrated description in the time and during his career he Journal of Herpetology. From an email George sent to me a worked hard to change zoos from couple of years ago…… natural history collections to holisti- “George was the first person in the cally engaged conservation centres. conservation movement to draw “Thanks Phil. As I recall, we all He felt that zoos had an important attention to the global phenomenon agreed the ACAP itself needs re- role to play in ex situ conserva- of amphibian declines and was vamping, especially in terms of tion and in engaging young people instrumental in establishing the SSC fundable programs and projects and to care for the natural world. At DAPTF. Now, amphibian extinctions the new knowledge that has been Brookfield Zoo he established the are widely seen as the most serious gained in the last 7 years. And my Hamill Family Play Zoo which was and visible expression of the world- great appreciation of your own com- designed to engage children in a wide extinction crisis.” mitment of time and energy to the playful setting to find out about the David Brackett (Chair IUCN SSC, cause for which ASA was created! natural world and how they relate 1996-2004) THANKS! -- George” to it – this has been emulated by other zoos around the world like Many of us will know George’s George was also particularly wor- London Zoo. In an unusually entitled name in relation to amphibian con- ried about the amphibian chytrid paper ‘God, Unicorns, and Toilets: servation where he made his largest fungus and it was remarkable that Mission Inspired evaluation’ George contribution. George was extremely even in his final years he would stay says “lf one cares enough to pro- passionate about saving amphibians on top of the scientific literature vide clean restrooms for the zoo’s from extinction, and despite being and would often send me subtle guests, welcoming them to return, quite shy and reserved, he managed reminders, asking me if I had seen should we not also care enough to to play a significant leadership role the latest chytrid paper and attach- really serve our conservation mis- in amphibian conservation. George ing it ‘just in case’ I had missed it! sion by examining how to manifest was involved with amphibian con- After I sent him the proposal I had it throughout our strategic thinking and operations? lf not we may be flushing both our energies and ideals down the toilet. And, in that case, whatever feelings He may have held on evaluation of His works, God help us!” (Rabb and Saunders, 1999 p.359).

In an interview with George he was asked about what he would like to be remembered for and he replied that he wanted to be “remembered fondly, and as a mentor, in particular he was proud of Richard Bodmer and his remarkable efforts in South America…..”. I contacted Bodmer and asked him to say a few words about George - “In my early career

he was the greatest influence to © LDebbie Bishop me and he was my most important mentor who guided me to focus on A detailed account of George’s life Rabb, G. B. and Rabb, M. S. 1963. tropical conservation” (Dr. Richard can be found in the excellent Histori- Additional Observations on Breeding Bodmer, Honorary Professor in cal Perspective written by Mitchell Behavior of the Surinam Toad, Pipa Conservation Ecology, DICE, Univer- et al. (2015). pipa. Copeia, 1963(4): 636-642. sity of Kent). I feel that for those of us who were lucky enough to know REFERENCES Rabb, G. B., and Saunders, C. D. George he is always remembered 1999. God, Unicorns, and Toilets: fondly and always as a great mentor; Lynch, J. F., and D. B. Wake. 1975. Mission-inspired evaluation. AZA George inspired me and challenged Systematics of the Chiropterotriton Ann. Conf. Proc. 1999: 354-59. me to do better, and I know this is bromeliacia group (Amphbia: Cauda- true for so many other people. ta), with description of two new spe- Rabb, G. B. and Snedigar, R. 1960. cies from Guatemala. Contributions Observations on Breeding and On a personal note, while I read in Science, Natural History Museum Development of the Surinam Toad, a lot of George’s papers during my of Los Angeles County 265: 1–45. Pipa pipa. Copeia, 1960(1): 40-44. PhD studies, unfortunately, I only got to know him in the last 10 years. Mendelson, J. R., III, J. M. Savage, Wake, D. B., and P. Elias. 1983. New When I visited him in Chicago in E. J. Griffith, H. Ross, B. Kubicki, and genera and new species of Central 2011 I was very impressed that at R. Gagliardo. 2008. Spectacular new American salamanders, with a re- the age of 81 he collected me from gliding species of Ecnomiohyla (An- view of the tropical genera (Am- the airport in his own car, lined up ura: Hylidae) from central Panama. phibia, Caudata, Plethodontidae). the large American beast of a car Journal of Herpetology 42: 750–759. Contributions in Science, Natural so that the centre line was in the History Museum of Los Angeles middle of the hood (bonnet), and off Mitchell, J. C., Mendelson, J. R., III, County 345: 1–19. we went through the Chicago traffic! and Stewart, M. M. 2015. Historical George had a very quiet, unassum- Perspectives: George Bernard Rabb. in press in Herpetologia Brasileira ing personality but he was incredibly Copeia, 2015(4): 1086-1092. sharp and always knew the exact time to make the most significant Rabb, G. B. 1960. On the unique point during a meeting. sound production of the Surinam toad, Pipa pipa. Copeia, 1960(4): The amphibians have lost a cham- 368–369. pion, the greatest and most passionate champion they have ever had, Rabb, G. B. and Rabb, M. S. 1960. and it’s up to us to carry on in the On the Mating and Egg-Laying legacy of the Great Dr. George Rabb. Behavior of the Surinam Toad, Pipa pipa. Copeia, 1960(4): 271-276.