A Captive Care Guide, Teaching Curriculum and Animal Care References for Amphibians and Reptiles in a Secondary Education Classroom By Erin A. Harris Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of Michigan-Flint in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology December 2011 Flint Michigan APPROVED: Ernest J. Szuch Joseph F. Sucic Committee Chairman Program Chairman University of Michigan-Flint University of Michigan-Flint H/fl& Aj$WcJt ckbtic Teresa Yoder-Nowak Michelle Reckling University of Michigan-Flint Rochester High School 1 Table of Contents Abstract ...................... Acknowledgements. Dedication ................. Chapter 1 o Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................6 ■ Overview/Significance ............................................................................................................................................6 ■ Statement of Purpose/Rationale................................................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2 o General Reference and Policies.......................................................................................................................................... 8 ■ Veterinarian List....................................................................................................................................................... 10 ■ Disposal of rescues and captive organisms......................................................................................................13 ■ Metroparks with live animals............................................................................................................................... 14 ■ School Policies ...........................................................................................................................................................15 Chapter 3 o Captive Care Guide................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Chapter 4 o Curriculum .................................................................................................................................................................................45 Chapter 5 o Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................. 195 W ork cited ..................................................................................................................................................................................................196 2 Abstract The objective of this project is to create teaching curriculum as well as ancillary resources regarding the use of native, captive bred and/or commonly used pet trade amphibian and reptile species in a secondary education classroom. The project will include a detailed list of reptile and amphibian veterinarians from around the state, a discussion regarding disposal of captives and rescues, information on housing, life expectancy, adult size, nutrition, good and bad choices of species to have in classrooms and /o r nature center (both wild and captive list), and disclaimers (school policies, state and regional permits & policies, health and safety for your protection and the protection of the animal) all with emphasis on the instructor being the advocate for the animal as well as an emphasis for common or captive bred species being used instead of rare species. 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Michigan Partners in Amphibians and Reptile Conservation for this opportunity to create such a unique thesis. Special thanks to Teresa Yoder-Nowak and Ernie Szuchofthe University of Michigan-Flint, David Mifsud of Herpetological Resource and Management and MIPARC, James Harding of Michigan State University and Michelle Reckling of Rochester High School for their assistance in review arrd content knowledge. 4 Dedication 1 would like to thank my family, friends and fiance Ryan for their words of encouragement while I worked^to accomplish this overwhelming task. 5 Chapter 1 - Introduction Overview and Significance The significance of this project is to bring awareness of the importance of amphibians and reptiles as they function in communities and ecosystems. In order to do so, creation of content specific curricula, captive care guides and ancillary resources became necessary so that amphibians and reptiles could be integrated with ease into a classroom where they can educate many students. This project was created for the Michigan Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. The Michigan Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (MIPARC) is a group of citizens, professionals and organizations that work to conserve the herpetofauna of Michigan as well as provide resources and education for those that care about the conservation of amphibian and reptiles. Amphibians and reptiles are poorly understood and often overlooked due to their appearance and habitat. This thesis will address the beneficial nature of amphibians and reptiles to the food chain and ecosystem as well as their role as biological indicators of the ecosystems health. This project was presented to me by MIPARC because I am an educator in a secondary education science position and I am well versed in the Content Expectations of the Science Curriculum as well as experienced in the ways of a high school classroom. The long term goal and contribution this project will provide will include not only the teaching curriculum, general animal care references and captive care guide for the many species chosen but also hopefully the eventual web- based access that will be available to the public as well as Zoo's and Nature centers. 6 Statement of Purpose/Rationale The significance for this thesis is to better educate the public on the life history of Amphibians and Reptiles. Amphibians and Reptiles play an important role in our ecosystem, are diverse in nature and species and are unique organisms that show important links in evolutionary history as well as a link in the overall ecosystem health. Often, these organisms are not well received due to the misconceptions and view of them being 'slimy', 'cold-blooded', 'mean', etc. Although they can fit some of these descriptions,rtheir pro's far outweigh the public's pre-conceived ideas of 'con's'. Educating students and the public on these organisms will help to raise awareness of their beneficiahnature and providing a representative organism to view in the classroom will help to provide a unique living model for students to view and interact with. As reptiles and amphibians are not as cuddly or as readily identifiable to the human condition as mammals, it is important to recognize their significance in the ecosystem so that they do not become further victims in the never ending habitat loss and pet trade war. Reptiles are important in the ecosystem as both predator and prey in the food chain. They are often valuable to farmers to keep crops from being eaten by other organisms and are beneficial in the food chain as prey where larger reptiles, mammals, birds, etc., will consume them or their eggs. An amphibians role in the ecosystem works in very much the same way as they are predators of invertebrates, fish, smaller mammals and birds and can also serve as prey to other organisms such as mammals, birds, reptiles, other amphibians, etc. Amphibians act as an intermediate link in the food chain for many organisms that are not able to feed on/gain nutrients from invertebrate food sources. Amphibians have the ability to live in aquatic environments as well as cooler temperatures. This characteristic allows them to gain nutrients that may be inaccessible to many higher endothermic vertebrates. Amphibians also produce new tissue regularly; and therefore, are discussed as having high biomass conservation as they reproduce quickly and lose less heat to their environment. Amphibians are also important in the following areas: the Food Industry (i.e. Frog Legs), Teaching and Research for the studies of embryology, endocrinology, physiology, and ecology (i.e. divergence and speciation); Toxicology( i.e. egg and larvae vulnerability to toxins); as well as in the study of Medicine for the study of fever research and skin secretions (i.e. antimicrobial, defense, painkiliing, neurological). 7 Chapter 2- General Reference Animals for Classroom Use When considering using organisms for classroom use, it is best to use organisms that will not impact the fragility of the ecosystem such as rare organisms taken from the wild which would also require a perm it Organisms raised or bred in captivity or common native species are g«od pets to have in a classroom as their purchase/collection and use in a classroom will have little or no impact on animals found in the wild. It is always important to purchase an animal from a reputable source. Below are a few ideas of how to discern if a pet store is reputable. A reputable pet store: • Will have staff that can answer your questions without providing vague responses. Beware of pet stores that do not fully answer your questions or do not find another staff member who can. • Will have healthy animals with alert, clear eyes, healthy looking bodies and faces clear of mucous running