Amphibians
The amphibians live both in the water and on land. Frogs, toads, salamanders and tritons are among their most known representatives. In the whole world there are about 5800 amphibian species. The countdown has already started. As per the latest IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) researches, of the 5800 species in the world, about a third (1856 species) are in danger of extinction, and among these about 413 are in immediate danger of extinction, while 126 have already totally disappeared in the last 25 years. Climate change, habitats’ destruction and the import of alien species threaten and substitute indigenous amphibians. Furthermore, a very dangerous mushroom, the so-called Chytrid, is spreading extremely quickly and damaging the amphibians’ skin leads to their mass deaths.
Measures and objectives
Nowadays there isn’t any possibility to stop the expansion of the deadly mushroom or to medically cure the sick amphibians in the wild. To save them, there is only one possibility: to bring the endangered amphibians to protected stations. Here they will be able to live and reproduce in a secure environment. The objective of this operation is to make sure that in the future, when conditions will be more favourable, they can be released in their original habitat.
How is the zoo contributing
The most threatened are the harlequin toads from South America, because of the strong presence of the disease caused by the mushroom. The zoo of the Colombian city of Cali keeps the poisonous frogs, native of these areas and breeds them with success. With the support of Zurich Zoo, a centre for the reproduction of the harlequin toad will be built and managed in the Cali Zoo.
Zurich Zoo also supports research of the Turin Museum and the Antanarivo University (Madagascar) on the risks, the number of individuals and the distribution of the tomato frog. This knowledge is a necessary condition in order to efficiently protect the threatened Tomato frogs.
Zurich Zoo keeps and breeds several amphibian species. Among these, there are for example, frogs mainly coming from South American rainforests and from Madagascar, as for example the small red-back poison frog, the golden poison frog and the tomato frog.
Zurich Zoo also manages the European studbook for the threatened blue poison frog.
As of the 23rd of March 2006, it is possible to visit the exhibition ‘The silence of the frogs’ in Zurich Zoo, and there also is a yearly programme of special events.
Partners
Literature and publications
- Chiari Y. Orozco-terWengel P., Vences M., Vieites D.R., Sarovy A., Randrianirina J. E., Meyer A., & Louis E. Jr.,in press. Genetic identification of units for conservation in tomato frogs, genus Dyscophus. Conservation Genetics (2005).
- Glaw F. & Vences M. (1994) A fieldguide to the amphibians and reptiles of Madagascar. Second edition, including freshwater fish and mammals. – Leverkusen: Vences und Glaw Verlag.
- Pintak T. (1987). Zur Kenntnis des Tomatenfrosches Dyscophus antongili (Grandidier 1877). – Salamandra 23 (2/3): 106–121.
- Rodriguez-Mahecha J.V. 2004. Libro Rojo de los Anfibios de Colombia. Colombia por Panamericana Formas e Impresos S.A.
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