THE FIRST AMPHIBIAN RESCUE CENTER IN ARGENTINA: AN EX SITU CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR TELMATOBIUS PISANOI AND T. STEPHANI Kacoliris Federico1,2, 4& Williams Jorge1, 3, 4& 1Herpetological Laboratory, La Plata University. Street 122 and 60 s/n. La Plata (1900). Buenos Aires, Argentina; [email protected]; [email protected];4http://www.museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar/herpetologia_zoologia _vertebrados_investigacion Total funding amount requested from Amphibian Ark: USD$ 5,000 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Inmediate rescue for the establishment of captive survival-assurance colonies was recognized as the only hope at short term to face urgent threats affecting species that currently can not be safeguarded in nature. The frogs Telmatobius pisanoi and T. stephani listed as Endangered by the IUCN are endemic form northern Argentina mountains. These frog populations are in decline because of the effect of several threats including climate change. The known distributional ranges for both species are extremely small and site-extinction events were assumed for both species. Currently, actions to alleviate threats on their populations are not enough to ensure their long lasting viability. Moreover, ecological data of both species are scarce. For these reasons, both species were previously listed as “Rescue role” in the “AArk Conservation Needs Assessment Workshop” held in Argentina. In this frame, the present project proposses to develop an ex situ program aimed to establish survival assurance colonies of both species. The final goal is to have enough individuals to plan further reintroduction programs until gathering enough evidence of alleviation of threats for a viable population to be established. Through this program we will also get high quality data to help with and to reinforce the planed conservation activities. We already have plans in place to develop a rescue campaign to ensure the collection of founder individuals for establishing colonies of both species. We also have the institutional infrastructure to build a rescue center at La Plata University. Altough some in situ activities are being developed, an ex situ complement is urgently needed in order to ensure the conservation of both species. INTRODUCTION MAIN CONSERVATION PROBLEM It is well known that urgent threats affecting some amphibian species, as habitat destruction and emerging diseases do not have short term solutions that could avoid extinction events. In that frame, specialists have agreed about the need to establish captive survival-assurance colonies based on ex situ programs and urgent rescue projects. In Argentina, lots of amphibian species are facing threats and some populations are on the edge of extinction. Some conservation approaches are being implemented to protect some species, as educational activities and adaptative management. However, no ex situ programs aimed to the establishment of survival-assurance colonies exist at this moment. The creation of an amphibian´s rescue center that could interact with these conservation projects rescuing individuals of the most threatened species is of key importance. Without 1 immediate captive management as a stopgap component of an integrated conservation effort, lots of argentinean species could become extinct. The main goals of this work are: 1) to start the first amphibian´s rescue center in Argentina; 2) to develop ex situ programs framed on the rescue of two endangered species, Telmatobius pisanoi and T. stephani, and; 3) to improve our skills and experience in order to add other endangered amphibians from Argentina to this ex situ initiative. SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION NEEDS AND STATUS OF THE TARGET SPECIES1 Telmatobius pisanoi and T. stephani are both IUCN Endangered species endemic from Argentina (www.iucnredlist.org). They are rare species with areas of occupancy of less than 500 km2. Individuals are only known from four and seven localities respectively and both are facing a continuing decline in the extent and quality of their habitats. Main threats for these species are habitat loss, predation by exotic fishes (trout), alteration of watersheds (the species are wholly aquatic), human activities (agricultural and potential mining). Chytridiomycosis represents one of the main potential threats for both species. There exists information that confirms that populations of other species in the genus living at high elevations are very susceptible to infection with chytridiomycosis. The pathogen has yet to be reported from Telmatobius pisanoi, but congeners in Ecuador have disappeared, and so these species would appear to be seriously at risk. PROPOSED ACTIONS Our propossal is aimed to start the first amphibian rescue center in Argentina.We already have the necessary collection permits and the institutional infrastructure, but we need some funds in order to get equipment, to improve the biosecurity conditions and to collect individuals to establish the first survival assurance colonies of both species. We also plan to interact with other amphibian conservation projects working in Argentina in order to plan the future establishment of colonies of other priority amphibian´s species (like Rhinella achalensis). Our final goal is to provide animals for reintroduction to natural habitats. Research. Attempts to conserve populations will be successful only if reliable data about species ecology become available and if factors limiting their populations become in reduce. Conservation breeding colonies will allow to get high quality information about natural history of both species but also about other topics that will help to allocate conservation efforts in a more efficient way. Conservation. Breeding colonies will provide healthy individuals to be reintroduced to their natural habitats. By working together with an in situ program aimed to alleviate or to avoid threats in the field, the ex situ programm will be of key importance in order to ensure the existence of a higher number of individuals than the minimum viable population size for both species. 1Besides T. pisanoi and T. stephani, once the rescue center is established, we will incorporate other endangered species like Rhinella achalensis and Pleurodema somuncurensis. 2 Capacity building. This project will give to national researchers and volunteers a lot of opportunities to develop skills and experience in order to become conservationists in their country. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES 1. The first amphibian´s rescue center is created in Argentina. 2. The first ex situ conservation program is performed to ensure survival assurance colonies for Telmatobius pisanoi and T. stephani. 3. Main ex situ studies for both species are started. 4. Work links are created with AArk staff and other amphibian projects working in Latin- America in order to improve goals in the frame of the AArk values. METHODOLOGY Planning phase. We will develop meetings with our team in order to discuss and to develop an action plan to start the ex situ conservation program paying careful attention to biosecurity standards and other main needs. We will create links with other projects with the aim to plan future works and activities in the frame of this rescue center. Rescue center establishment. After the completion of the planning phase we will build the rescue center. For this purpose, we already have the necessary permits, infrastructure and technical support. We will be in close relationship with AArk staff in order to get feedback at each stage of the project. Conservation program for T. pisanoi and T. stephani. We will carry-on meetings in order to develop out a conservation program that incorporates the ex situ component. We will be in close relationship with AArk staff and other researchers in Argentina and Latin- America in order to get feedback and to improve the proposed plan. In this frame, we will discuss and develop a research program to be performed in the frame of the ex situ program. These studies will be oriented to get data that could improve conservation of both species. Field collection. Once the rescue center is established, we will plan and perform a field trip in order to collect founder individuals of both species2. We will have to wait for the spring season to ensure the success of this fieldwork (this is the peak of activity for both species). This grant will be mainly used to start and improve the biosecurity conditions of the rescue center, and to collect the founder individuals to establish a survival assurance colony for both species. Because the center will be developed in a research center depending of La Plata University, the future maintenance of the center is already ensured. We also have some funds to perform extra field work to collect individuals, but we will continue searching for funds in order to incorporate other endangered species to this rescue center. 2 We can be trusted to find T. pisanoi in the field. However, in the case of T. stephani, only tadpoles were found in the latest surveys. If we cannot find individuals of T. stephani, we will start the rescue center with T. pisanoi but further efforts will be employed in order to find T. stephani in the field. 3 BUDGET Requested Other Budget category Item/amount to AArk sources Field vehicle rental, fuel ($120 per day, 10 days) 0 $ 1.200 Food in the field ($20 per day, 4 people, 10 days) 0 $ 200 Lodging ($15 per people per day, 2 days) 0 $ 120 Local guide ($ 35 per day, 10 days) 0 $ 350 PI salary (10 days) 0 $ 1.000 Field study Data Loggers ($35 per unit, 6 units) 0 $ 210 Frog Loggers ($600 per unit, 2 units) 0 $ 1.200 2$/Bd swab, $20/test, 10 samples 0 $ 220 Camping equipment (tends and sleeping bugs) 0 $ 400 Containers and equipment to keep individuals 0 $ 200 Year Keeper salary 0 $ 4.000 Keeper to husbandry workshop 0 $ 2.500 Air conditioning unit $ 370 0 Furnitures for aquariums $ 500 0 Aquariums and accesories (20 units) $ 1.400 0 Ex situ facility Water supply filtering system $ 200 0 Footh/baths, solutions $ 50 0 Disposable gloves $ 100 0 Supplies for live food culture $ 500 0 mat.s.