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Amphibian Crisis

Amphibian Crisis

The greatest species conservation challenge in the history of humanity!

(adapted from Amphibian Conservation Summit Declaration www.amphibianark.org/ACAP_Summit_Declaration.pdf)

Since 1970, scientists have observed abrupt population declines and outright disappearances of entire amphibian species. The extent of these declines and extinctions is without precedent among any other group of species over the last few millennia, and it has increasingly been the focus of scientific research. These declines have spread geographically and increasing numbers of species are involved. Recent research indicates that:

• Nearly one-third (32%) of the world’s 5,743 amphibian species have been classified as threatened with extinction; this represents 1,856 species.

• 122 species, perhaps many more, appear to have gone extinct since 1980.

• At least 43% of all species have undergone population declines, but less than one percent is increasing in population size.

• Habitat loss is the greatest threat to amphibians, impacting almost 90% of threatened species.

• A newly recognized fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, causes catastrophic mortality in amphibian populations, and subsequent extinctions.

• Many species are declining for reasons, such as disease, climate change, invasive species and over-harvesting, that cannot be readily addressed through traditional conservation strategies.

• Other issues, such as the role of environmental pollutants in amphibian declines, need to be more thoroughly addressed.

Since 1990, scientists have referred to amphibians as "canaries" in the coal mine; the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) shows that the "canaries" are dying. This underscores a weakness in current strategies for biodiversity conservation: that habitat conservation is essential but not sufficient. Existing protected areas alone are not sufficient to protect amphibians from a growing array of threats, they require zoos to save them in the short term until adequate conservation measures to secure wild populations can be developed.

The Amphibian Conservation Summit was called to document amphibian declines and extinctions. However, the Summit concluded that it is morally irresponsible to simply document the decline without also designing and promoting a response to this global crisis. To this end, the Amphibian Conservation Summit has designed the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP), and commends it to governments, the business sector, civil society and the scientific community for urgent and immediate adoption and implementation.

Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP)

Four kinds of intervention are needed by the conservation community to conserve amphibians, all of which need to be started immediately:

1. Expanded understanding of the causes of declines and extinctions

2. Ongoing documentation of amphibian diversity, and how it is changing

3. Development and implementation of long-term conservation programs

4. Emergency responses to immediate crises

For more information on the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan visit www.amphibianark.org

Take Action

To save as many species as possible, CBSG, WAZA, and the IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) have formed an Amphibian Ark (AArk). They are working with zoos across the world to assist in this conservation crisis. Never before has the conservation community at large charged zoos and aquariums with a task of this magnitude. This is an opportunity for every zoo and aquarium, regardless of size, to make a vital conservation contribution, and for our community to be broadly acknowledged as a credible conservation partner. With this program we will save many species that would otherwise be lost forever, and demonstrate to the world that the zoos and aquariums are essential contributors to nature conservation.

Zoos

• If each zoo helps to save at least 1 amphibian species (smaller zoos might do less while larger zoos will do more) then hundreds of species will be saved from extinction.
• In 2008, AArk will lead zoos in a globally coordinated public awareness campaign “2008: The Year of the Frog.”
• Expand and support capacity building (facilities and expertise) at home institutions and in range countries.
• Assess, upgrade and expand amphibian facilities and send staff to participate in training courses or internships at institutions with existing capacity, or sponsor someone in need.
• Immediately support and expand existing efforts, such as rescue programs, field surveys, regional programs (e.g. SSP, EEP, ASMP, APP) and local amphibian conservation projects.
• Participate in the global public awareness campaign through your zoo's website, zoo graphics, education materials and media releases. Do your visitors know that we are experiencing the greatest species conservation challenge in the history of humanity?
• Participate in the global capital campaign to support your own programs and the global coordination through AArk.

El Valle Panama Conservation Center

One example of zoos taking action and banding together to help save amphibian populations is the project in El Valle Panama.  The Houston Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and Atlanta Botanical Gardens initiated a project in 1999 to gather information on local amphibians. In 2005, construction began on a Conservation Center in El Valle Panama. This Center will allow local experts to manage their own native endangered and threatened amphibians. Before the completion of the center, chytrid fungus began devastating the wild amphibian populations of the area.  A call for help was sent to zoos across the US asking for both financial assistance and temporary staffing.  Many zoos responded sending staff, money and supplies to help the threatened amphibians. The workers spent weeks collecting individuals from the wild, setting up captive populations, and nursing sick amphibians back to health.  Once the Center is completed, it will continue to monitor and assist Panama’s native amphibian populations.

What every family can do to help protect amphibians!

Find books on frogs to discover why they sing loudly, hear well and stay up late	Check out an amphibian field guide from your local library and learn about the frogs in your area	Invite a bug-zapping amphibian into your backyard by placing an overturned pot as a home
Reduce the amount of waste your family produces by buying products with less packaging and taking your own bag to the store	Use water-saving devices in your home in areas such as your toilet, taps and showerhead and turn off the water while you brush your teeth or do the dishes		Save energy by turning off lights, radios and the TV when you are not using them
Use less chemical pesticides on your lawn to keep amphibians healthy		Build a pond, plant native shrubs, and leave leaf litter and logs in your yard to create a habitat for frogs	Plan a family outing to a local pond to hear different species of frogs sing their love songs to one another
	Have your school adopt a frog at your local zoo or nature center	Keep pets contained so that they don't harm the amphibians near your home	Find natural alternatives to household chemicals so these toxins don't end up in amphibian habitats
Ask a local naturalist to talk to your class about native amphibians or to take your class on a nature walk to a local pond		Instead of capturing frogs from the wild for pets, observe their behavior in nature and allow them to continue their important work	Encourage your cafeteria to use reusable containers and recycled napkins
Make donations to a wildlife conservation group to adopt an acre of rainforest and help conserve amphibian populations	Look for frogs near your home, but don't touch them. Chemicals from the soaps and lotions we use can hurt their delicate skin		Plan an amphibian adventure to a zoo with your family. Zoos are a great place to see frogs from other countries like South America, Asia and Africa
Play the game leap frog with your class and each time you leap say one fact about frogs	Take part in a local pond or stream cleanup to ensure that native amphibians will have a clean home	Do a homework project and let your classmates know how important amphibians are to the environment

Learn more about the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) 2008 campaign, Year of the Frog, a major conservation effort to address the amphibian extinction crisis!

Adapted by Jennifer Quinn, Disney's Animal Kingdom
Images courtesy of Dr. Brad Wilson and Vicky Pittman