Confronting Amphibian Declines and Extinctions

What is an amphibian? Frogs & toads Newts & salamanders Caecilians

Why are amphibians important? source of human medicine indicators of environmental health control insects and insect-borne diseases vital role in ecosystems role in culture/religion aesthetics

Are they really in trouble? 5,743 species of amphibians –43% in decline (2,469 spp.) –32% threatened (1,856 spp.) –120 presumably extinct (since 1980) –23% data deficient (1,294 spp.) Worse than birds (12%) or mammals (23%)

numbers vs. rate Why? tropical forests cover 7% of the land which is home to % of world’s species 44% gone by our hands going at 4-5 football fields / second Estimated gone by % of US primary forests gone, 99% of tallgrass prairies

Amphibian chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis associated with amphibian deaths on every continent unstoppable & untreatable in the wild “the worst infectious disease ever recorded among vertebrates in terms of the number of species impacted, and its propensity to drive them to extinction.”

African clawed frog Xenopus laevis native to South Africa earliest record of chytridiomycosis (1938) used in human pregnancy tests (1930s-1970s) amphibian ‘lab rat’ (immunology, embryology) distributed around the world by 1000s-10,000s/year

~28 km/yr 2006 Showing spread of chytrid fungus and extinctions in Panama

Mortality - stream transects data from Lips et al. Showing amphibian deaths in stream surveys in Panama on the arrival of chytrid fungus

Next for chytrid Continued expansion into eastern Panama, southern Andes (Peru) Invasion into tropical/ temperate Africa & Asia Identical extent of losses? –High endemism, all frogs susceptible, perpetual conditions for chytrid Global Amphibian Extinctions

Action 2002 IUCN Technical Guidelines on the Management of Ex-situ populations for Conservation: –“All Critically Endangered and Extinct in the Wild taxa should be subject to ex situ management to ensure recovery of wild populations.” 2005 IUCN ACAP White Papers: –“Survival assurance colonies are mandatory for amphibian species that will not persist in the wild long enough to recover naturally once environments are restored; these species need to be saved now through ex-situ measures so that more complete restoration of ecosystems is possible in the future”

2005 IUCN ACS Declaration: –“The ACAP recommends prioritized... captive survival assurance programs... to buy time for species that would otherwise become extinct...” 2006 IUCN ACAP: –“The only hope for populations and species at immediate risk of extinction is immediate rescue for the establishment and management of captive survival-assurance colonies”

Are we ready to respond? Currently very limited capacity to hold and breed amphibians in the world’s zoos Most collections are cosmopolitan mixes with inadequate attention to hygiene and biosecurity Limited numbers of staff with amphibian skills

Building (up) facilities at home Antwerp, Atlantans, Auckland, Bristol, Cologne, Detroit, Houston, London, Melbourne, Omaha, Perth, San Antonio, Toledo who’s next?

Building (up) facilities offsite Houston Zoo - El Nispero Zoo (Panama) Zoo Zurich - Cali Zoo (Colombia) St. Louis Zoo - Catolica University (Ecuador) Omaha Zoo - Johannesburg Zoo London/Chester/Jersey Zoos - Dominica Chester - standardized mobile biosecure facilities who’s next?

WAZA and CBSG are together taking responsibility for helping to coordinate the global amphibian ex situ conservation response – zoos and aquariums can become involved! Visit and