CONSERVATION ENDOWMENT FUND Implementation of a New Monitoring Program for the Puerto Rican Crested By Diane Barber

lthough a successful reintroduction program the presence or absence of P. lemur at the northern population’s has been managed by the Association of last known location. AZoos and Aquarium’s (AZA) Puerto Rican GOAL #1: Crested Toad Species Survival Plan® (PRCT SSP), in-situ the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Develop an monitoring team through personnel training and the Puerto Rican Department of Natural and and equipment purchase and determine distribution patterns P. lemur Environmental Resources (PRDNER) for the Puerto of across four study sites: Tamarindo (location of last re- Rican crested toad (Peltophryne lemur) for over 25 maining wild population) and three reintroduction sites: Arecibo, years, and has resulted in the establishment of three Manglillo and Gabia. new populations on the island, little systematic moni- Team members in Puerto Rico were trained to properly handle toring has occurred due to a shortage of resources , insert Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and col- and personnel, the reclusive behavior of the toad and lect pertinent data at all sites. Programmable PIT tag equipment challenges posed by the cavernous karst in (Nanotec®) was distributed to partners to individually mark and which it lives. track toads. This technology is much smaller than the standard microchips commonly used in zoos and is injected in crested toads as little as 5cm for identification. Documentation of disper- In 2008, recovery group partners began to intensify island-wide sal patterns is accomplished through the accumulation of mark monitoring efforts with the support of AZA zoos and the AZA’s and recapture data, GPS/GIS mapping, tracking using fluorescent Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF). These funds were specifi- powder, audio recordings, systematic searches and standardized in-situ cally used to develop stronger monitoring techniques and data collection forms. A central database is being developed to standardized monitoring plans at all three of our reintroduction store and share these data. sites and the last known wild population site in southern Puerto GOAL #2 Rico. This included the purchase of monitoring equipment such P. as Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and readers, standard Determine presence/absence at historical sites and document lemur programmable recording devices and field trials of a new “real- calling characteristics such as timing relevant to weather time” audio recording system with alert features. CEF funds were events and temporal patterning that are critical to determining also used to employ field technicians at two ponds to determine population status and dynamics.

58 CONNECT July 2012 CEF update 59

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AND ARBER B IANE D Now that the framework is established, coordinated coordinated the framework is established, Now that current toad sites. In addition, this new technology permits permits new technology this In addition, toad sites. current PRCT bi- with countless data analyze and share us to store, is disciplines. ARBIMON those from different ologists and monitoring net- biodiversity in expanding their interested We the world. all over can be deployed remotely work which and researchers AZA institutions other that are confident a useful resource to study other species will find ARBIMON insects and mammals in the future. of , birds, for the crested toad will continue to monitoring efforts funds along with support into the future. CEF expand well AZA institutions (Audubon from multiple and donations Columbus Zoo, Metroparks Cleveland Buffalo Zoo, Zoo, Disney’s Detroit Zoo, Zoo, Denver Dallas Zoo, Zoo, Zoo, Jacksonville Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Kingdom, El Paso Carolina Zoo, Aquarium in Baltimore, North National Sedgwick Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha’s Zoo, Milwaukee Zoo Miami) Zoo and Toronto Zoo, Toledo County Zoo, of an island-wide played a pivotal role in the development efforts of is essential to the recovery monitoring plan that exciting new the Puerto Rican crested toad. Furthermore, such as the technologies deployed during this project, other species that ARBIMON system, will be used to study with the toad and can be utilized by researches cohabitate for multiple applications.

P. E. P. P. lemur P. collected Batrachochytrium in Quebradillas. The sus- Eleutherodactylus antillensis E. antillensis to Bd is unknown. Studies are currently to Bd is unknown. Studies are currently P. lemur P. (Bd), began in 2006 to assess overall health of (Bd), health overall began in 2006 to assess male was recorded in the distance near one of the male was recorded populations and mitigate threats introduced via disease threats and mitigate populations to determine exposure tolerance to Bd. These findings to determine exposure tolerance to Bd. at a current reintroduction site in Arecibo, and a third has a current reintroduction site in Arecibo, at In 2009, we started the develop- In 2009, we Screening for chytrid fungus, Screening for amphibian chytrid fungus, Through the use of programmable recording devices devices recording use of programmable the Through P. lemur P. lemur in bearing on management decisions for populations will have Puerto Rico. underway at North Carolina State University using captive using captive University North Carolina State underway at ceptibility of from other amphibians. Bd was has been confirmed in three from other amphibians. Bd was has been samples. One was from an lemur a second was collected from an from a site in Rio Encantado, coqui been collected from an ment of a fully automated recording recording ment of a fully automated biologists to would allow system that to a site when respond immediately our ini- calling. However toads were a tial prototypes failed. Fortunately, recording device similar automated was being refined by a division of the biology department (Automated Monitoring Biodiversity Remote UPR-Río Network, ARBIMON) at CEF funds able use were Piedras. We a contract to to negotiate as leverage re- test ARBIMON’s fully automated release site in El our cording system at As a result of this collabora- Tallonal. tion, ARBIMON has joined the PRCT team which will eventually recovery all enable us to install their systems at dendrobatidis #4 GOAL Field-test a state-of-the-art automated can be uti- recording system that data lized for multiple taxa in Puerto Rico. GOAL #3 GOAL Rican amphibian popu- Continue health assessments of Puerto lations. (Wildlife Acoustic’s Song Meters®), the presence of the presence Song Meters®), Acoustic’s (Wildlife not This is promising, as the toads have ponds in October 2011. a vi- in this region since 1992. Searches for been seen or heard data weather in this region continue. Archived able population to extrapolate data with reproduction event is being correlated to when crested toads may be gathering optimal conditions numbers and gage population average reproduce, estimate in size. “normal” fluctuations was confirmed in Barinas (Cienagas Pond), spring 2010. This spring 2010. Pond), in Barinas (Cienagas was confirmed southern documented in this been time toads have is the first in 1985. This popula- occurred drastic land alteration area since to man- and plans are underway being monitored tion is now are considered. options to restore habitat age the site while Ecologica Quebradillana, Inc., were Liga Local biologist from period in Quebradillas for a 25 week data contracted to collect in the north. last observed two ponds where the toads were at A