AArk Newsletter NewsletterNumber 49, March 2020 amphibian ark No. 49, March 2020 Keeping threatened amphibian species afloat ISSN 2640-4141 In this issue... Using radio-telemetry to track survival and disease outcomes in the Mountain Yellow- legged Frog to inform ex situ management ..... 2 ® Ex situ conservation for the Critically Endangered tree-frog Aparasphenodon pomba............................................................... 4 Amphibian Ark Conservation Grants – We’re calling for proposals!......................................... 7 Captive reproduction of the Titicaca Water Frog at the Huachipa Zoo, Lima, Peru ............. 8 Implementation of behavioural enrichment for the Pickersgill’s Reed Frog ........................ 10 First steps towards the conservation of the Darwin’s Blackish Toad ................................... 13 News from the Patagonia Frog rescue center and conservation project in Laguna Blanca National Park, Argentina ................................. 15 An update on the head-starting program for Critically Endangered White-bellied Frogs at Perth Zoo ....................................................... 18 Good news for the ex situ Titicaca Water Frog program in Bolivia .................................. 19 Advancing with the ex situ conservation strategy of the Lake Patzcuaro Salamander at the Zacango Ecological Park ...................... 21 Progress update from the amphibian program at the Amaru Amphibian Conservation Center, Ecuador.............................................. 23 Establishment of a new western population of Montseny Brook Newt in 2019.................... 25 Amphibian Ark donors, January 2019 - March 2020..................................................... 27 Amphibian Ark c/o Conservation Planning Specialist Group 12101 Johnny Cake Ridge Road Apple Valley MN 55124-8151 USA www.amphibianark.org Phone: +1 952 997 9800 Fax: +1 952 997 9803 World Association of Zoos and Aquariums | WAZA 1 www.amphibianark.org United for Conservation AArk Newsletter Number 49, March 2020 Using radio-telemetry to track survival and disease outcomes in the Mountain Yellow-legged Frog to inform ex situ management Talisin Hammond and Debra Shier, Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego, USA In June 2019 we used funds from an Amphibian Ark Conservation Grant to purchase radio-transmitters from Advanced Telemetry Systems (model R1655). In August 2019 radio-transmitters were successfully implanted into twenty-one Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs (Rana muscosa) by veterinarians at San Diego Zoo Global, in the USA. We had aimed to implant transmitters into thirty frogs, however, some of the individuals weighed less than the mini- mum required for an implant (and transmitters were slightly more expensive than initially anticipated). After approximately one week of recovery, the frogs were transported to a release site in the San Jacinto Mountains, USA and were reintroduced into the wild along with eighty-seven tadpoles. Post-release monitoring took place approximately bi-weekly for the first month after release, and then approximately weekly until late-November, when snow was on the ground and water tem- peratures were below 5°C (at which point this species is thought to enter hibernation. At that point the access road shut down for the season, however, the site was accessed using snow-shoes, and surveys took place approximately bi-monthly. Almost every transmittered individual was re-located on each post-release survey (see Table 1). In some cases, due to acces- sibility and timing issues, not every individual could be located again. Advanced Telemetry Systems estimated that the radio- transmitter batteries would last for approximately seven months at a pulse rate of eight pulses per minute. By January 2020, however, we believe that two transmitters have died (there is an extremely weak signal, indicating that the transmitter/frog may still be in the area, but we are unable to target in to a specific loca- tion). Despite re-locating all or most frogs on each survey, we were rarely able to visually locate frogs. The released animals exhibit highly cryptic behavior and in cases when we have visually con- firmed their presence they usually appear to be wedged between rocks or hiding in rock caves. Because frogs do exhibit movement between most surveys, we believe they are still alive, despite not Date Average water Total frogs found temperature (°C) 7 Sep 2019 14.5 21 Releasing Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs (Rana muscosa) with 11 Sep 2019 10.3 20 radio-transmitter implants. Photo: Talisin Hammond. 16 Sep 2019 13.5 21 being able to visually confirm their status. Before water tem- 20 Sep 2019 10.5 21 peratures dropped, we were able to visually detect and capture 25 Sep 2019 12.6 19 one or two frogs per survey; every captured frog was measured, 28 Sep 2019 11.6 21 weighed, and swabbed for chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium den- drobatidis, Bd). Their surgical incision site was also inspected - all 3 Oct 2019 9.1 15 individuals healed very well. Bd swabs will be processed in the 10 Oct 2019 9.3 21 near future. 17 Oct 2019 9.1 21 Post-release movement away from the release location was 25 Oct 2019 8.8 21 limited in comparison to other release sites (average < 100 m, in 28 Oct 2019 8.3 21 contrast to ~ 500 m at another release site this year). Like other release sites, however, movements were almost exclusively up- 6 Nov 2019 5.9 21 stream. Movements decreased as water temperatures decreased 14 Nov 2019 7.6 20 and date progressed, but there were still slight movements and 24 Nov 2019 3.9 20 on two occasions frogs were visually detected even as water temperatures approached freezing. Frogs appear to be 11 Dec 2019 3.5 20 hibernating/brumating in habitats that are either 5 Jan 2019 1.6 19 in the water or within approximately 2 m of the water’s edge. Table 1. Post-release telemetry surveys and temperatures. 2 AArk Newsletter Number 49, March 2020 Conducting radio-telemetry in autumn (left) and winter (right). Photo: Michelle Curtis. Habitat data is collected on each survey and future analyses will integrate these measures. Amphibian Ark funding has allowed us to begin collecting valu- able data using novel technology, revealing previously unknown information about the natural history of endangered Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs in the southern California distinct population segment. The data we continue to collect will help us to under- stand post-release movement and survival outcomes for our reintroduced individuals, and ultimately will inform management and conservation activities for this species. Post-release movement as detected by radio-telemetry, plotted as a function of date and colored by water temperature. An endangered Mountain Yellow-legged Frog with a radio- transmitter, immediately before release into the wild. Photo: Talisin Hammond. 3 AArk Newsletter Number 49, March 2020 Ex situ conservation for the Critically Endangered tree-frog Aparasphenodon pomba Cybele Sabino Lisboa and Cauê Monticelli, São Paulo Zoo, Brazil; and Clodoaldo Lopes Assis, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Background Aparasphenodon pomba is a Critically Endangered tree-frog from Brazil, endemic to a small and non-protected fragment of Atlantic Forest (1.36 km²), which has legal problems and is highly impacted by farm- ing activities. This species was described in 2013 and since then has been showing decline in its population. It is a very rare species and field researchers believe it will be extinct in a few years if nothing is done to help save it. For this reason, an ex situ conservation program is deemed urgent and necessary to guarantee that Aparasphenodon pomba is saved until threats in nature are solved. In April 2019 we were provided with US $3,000 from a private donor (through Amphibian Ark), which allowed us to undertake a field trip to search for founder animals and to buy basic lab equipment for maintaining them. We are pleased to report on our activities and the beginning of the captive population of Aparasphenodon pomba, which was only possible because of this generous donation. Aparasphenodon pomba is a Critically Endangered tree-frog from Brazil. Photo: Cybele Sabino Lisboa. Introduction Aparasphenodon pomba is endemic to Brazil, and the only place to a bank. At the same time, an employee, who has lived in this 2 where it is known is a 1.36 km non-protected forest fragment, in place for over seventy years, has applied for the property in court the municipality of Cataguases, Minas Gerais. The region was through “extended possession”, a right that Brazilian citizens relatively well sampled and the species was not found outside the have to claim ownership of a property as a result of its use over a type locality. The extent of occurrence is already quite modified determined period. This legal process has made it difficult to es- (there is only 4.6% of native vegetation remnant by 2009) and tablish partnerships and raise funds for the creation of a protected there is recent loss of forests. The main threat to the species is area in this property, since it does not have a defined owner. the conversion of forested area to industrial area (strong activity in the region), which combined with farming activity, cause decline Due to the threats facing the species, ex situ management, as in habitat quality. For these reasons, Aparasphenodon pomba well as other conservation actions, is highly recommended and was considered Critically Endangered (CR) by criteria B1ab (iii) urgent until the threats in nature can be solved. Thus, Aparasphe- in the National List of Threatened Animals. Furthermore, the type nodon pomba was included as one of the twenty-five priority spe- locality of the species belongs to a sugar production and process- cies of the “Ex Situ Management Program of Threatened Species” ing company, which filed for bankruptcy and pledged this property of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums of Brazil (AZAB) in partnership with the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Con- servation (ICMBio). In this program, São Paulo Zoo was listed as the studbook keeper for the species, so we can manage captive populations.