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a golden toad, now extinct in the wild
To the Year of the Frog Section
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El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC) in Panama
About
The El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC) in Panama is a vital link to combating the global amphibian crisis. The EVACC was established by the AZA, with support from the Houston Zoo, in response to the emerging global amphibian crisis.
The Center is focused on the research, captive management, and exhibition of western Panama’s endangered and threatened amphibians. A major goal of the Center is to ensure that these endangered amphibian populations would continue to be managed by the local people of Panama well into the future. EVACC may serve as an in-country ex-situ program model to other countries facing a drastic loss in amphibian populations in the future. Roger Williams Park Zoo will be partnering with many zoos and organizations in this effort.
How can we help?
We joined other AZA institutions, like the Houston Zoo, to help in this endeavor. As Lou Perrotti, Conservation Programs Coordinator at Roger Williams Park Zoo, researched the center he found a serious need. Center workers have been collecting frog species from Western Panama affected by the chytridiomycosis disease to house and treat at the center. But what would the affected amphibians eat?
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Perrotti’s task was to establish rearing colonies of some of the area’s native insects and to then teach husbandry techniques to Center staff so that they could use these colonies to properly feed the endangered amphibian species they rescue and breed. The center’s previous method of capturing hundreds of insects each day was very time consuming, and is not practical as the number of rescued/bred amphibians grows.
Mr. Perrotti used his extensive experience rearing American Burying Beetles, Karner Blue Butterflies and other invertebrate insects species with the goal of establishing self sustaining insect colonies at the Center to be used as food for the amphibians being treated for chytridiomycosis. Roger Williams Park Zoo contributed the funding for construction costs for the insect rearing facility to be built at the Center, as well as the equipment needed. |
frog habitats at the EVACC; the
frogs have been
treated for chytridiomycosis and are set up for breeding |
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The El Valle Amphibian Conservation
Center (EVACC) in Western Panama |
Perrotti, assisted by Aaron Goodwin from the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum, traveled to Panama May 28 - June 9, 2007 to explain the how, why and where-alls of invertebrate insect rearing. The Roger Williams Park Zoo American Association of Zoo Keepers' chapter contributed the $500 for Goodwin's flight to Panama.
During the two weeks, they helped build the insect rearing facility with an environmentally conscious mind, observed and collected insect species in the field, set up the first colonies of insects that make up the wild diet of local amphibian species. Once set up, Perrotti taught the newly developed husbandry system and best practices to the Center's insect keeper, Edgar, and EVACC project directors, Edgardo Griffith and Heidi Ross. |
While in Panama, Perrotti continued to set the path for an International Bug Club. Like the Bug Club at Roger Williams Park Zoo, this will be a collaboration with Bug Club creators from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Once established, a Panamanian Bug Club would help continue to build a strong foundation for sound conservation ethics for children.
Perrotti meet with the director and staff of the Summit Zoo located outside Panama City to consult on setting up similar invertebrate breeding operations at their facility, as well as an International Bug Club. Summit Zoo plans to exhibit endangered frog species and educate about the growing crisis.
pictured to the right: Main invertebrate keeper, Edgar, puts the finishing touches on the invertebrate husbandry room. This room, built by funds and staff of RWPZoo, is where the insects will be housed and bred. The insects will be used as food for the in-house amphibians.
What is the global amphibian crisis? |
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Never in documented history has an entire species faced such rapid extinction. This global extinction crisis is one of the most important conservation challenges ever faced by the Zoo and Aquarium community.
Based on the World Conservation Union’s Global Amphibian Assessment published in 2004, the 6,000 species of frogs, salamanders and ceacilians known worldwide are not just experiencing moderate population declines, but one third to one half of all amphibian species are facing a possible species extinction crisis. Scientists estimate, since 1980 at least 122 species have already become extinct. Entire species groups are being decimated; the only two known species of gastric brooding frogs have been lost taking with them there unique reproductive strategy. |
For years, amphibian populations have been under the pressures of habitat loss, pollution, and climate change and now face a new and deadly challenge, the disease (chytridiomycosis). Although treatable in the lab, to date, scientists have no way to stop the spread of chytridiomycosis in wild amphibian populations, or a treatment for wild amphibian populations already affected. This disease is wiping out populations of amphibians on every continent where they exist. If this crisis continues unchecked one third to one half of an entire vertebrate class will be gone forever.
The true effects an extinction of this magnitude will have on ecosystems worldwide are unknown, but we can only predict potentially catastrophic results. Hence why conservation organizations, like the AZA, are doing what they can to help. |
Heidi Ross holds a juvenile frog
recently born at the EVACC |
one of the many invertebrate
species to bred |
In an effort to save the species, participating organizations are capturing the wild amphibians to treat the disease or prevent the spread of chytridiomycosis, and ensuring the survival of amphibian species in Panama.
The EVACC in Panama is a front-runner in combating this crisis. It will serve as a model for other resuce effots in other parts of the world, and we are thrilled to continue our support for the next 3 -5 years.
Learn what you can do the help, what we are doing here at the zoo and more by visiting the Year of the Frog section.
Outside links to learn more about the global amphibian crisis:
Top 10 things YOU can do to help amphibians
Houston Zoo
News articles on Amphibian Crisis from MongaBay.com
Project Golden Frog
WAZA
Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), their amphibian crisis page
Global Amphibian Assessment
*all photos taken by Lou Perrotti
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