In 2013 the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG), along with the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA) developed a number of working groups tasked with reviewing efforts since the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP) was developed. One of the tasks of these working groups is to develop new actions and strategies for addressing and supporting international amphibian conservation efforts. One of those groups is the Conservation Breeding Working Group, which is co-facilitated by Ben Tapley from the Zoological Society of London, and Kevin Johnson from the Amphibian Ark. Working group members have developed a vision and goals, and a detailed Action Plan for the coming five years. We welcome your feedback on the Conservation Breeding Working Group’s Action Plan, and please feel free to let us know of any progress that you or your organization have made on any of the actions or if you are willing to add your name to any of the actions.
A number of actions in the plan revolve around disseminating information about resources of particular interest to the ex situ amphibian conservation community. Below are a series of links to a range of resources, that we hope you will find useful. Please feel free to share with any of your colleagues who might find this information useful.
International directory of amphibian husbandry experts – (Email info@amphibianark.org for details)
List of amphibian husbandry experts and their contact details, listed by country. This list can be filtered by a range of categories, including nutrition, population management, enclosure design, developing new programs, live food production and many more. There is also a form for you to add your own profile and your areas of expertise if you are willing to provide support to other amphibian programs. This directory is not available to the general public.
Husbandry Documents – www.amphibianark.org/husbandry-documents/
This page includes a wide range of articles related to various aspects of amphibian husbandry. You can search for specific words within the title, author and description fields by using the Search field in the menu bar at the top of this page. There’s also a form on this page if you would like to submit additional husbandry-related documents for this page.
Amphibian Conservation Needs Assessments – www.ConservationNeeds.org
The Conservation Needs Assessment process objectively and consistently identifies priority amphibian species and their immediate conservation needs, providing high level guidance for both in situ and ex situ conservation action. Recommended conservation actions and priorities for each species are generated from the assessment data and include ex situ rescue, ex situ research (e.g. husbandry analog species), supplementation, and conservation education. The View Assessments page (www.conservationneeds.org/AssessmentSearch.aspx) shows all recommendations from over 3,700 assessments for more than 2,100 unique species (38% of the currently-known species), in 43 different countries, and is highly recommended when considering which species require additional ex situ programs.
Amphibian Husbandry Discussion Forum – www.amphibianark.org/forums/husbandry-issues/
A place to post questions and engage in discussions on a range of amphibian husbandry-related topics, and to share experiences with other program managers all over the world.
Ex situ amphibian nutrition and feeding webinars – www.amphibianark.org/nutrition-webinars/
A series of webinars on nutrition and feeding for ex situ amphibian programs. Renowned professionals will share with us their experience and expertise on this very important aspect of the ex situ management of amphibians.
Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) videos – www.amphibianark.org/art-videos/
A series of online webinars was held in late 2021 on a number of topics relating to artificial reproductive techniques for amphibians. Videos of each of these webinars are available.
Amphibian translocation webinars – www.amphibianark.org/translocation-symposium/
In late 2019, the Amphibian Ark hosted an online translocation symposium, which was divided into themes. Experienced program managers with previous experience in amphibian reintroductions, amphibian disease risk assessment, habitat management and restoration, threat management, and post-release monitoring shared their successes and failures. Other speakers included small-population managers, amphibian conservationists and general reintroduction specialists. Each presentation was recorded.
Husbandry nanotraining videos – www.amphibianark.org/husbandry-nanotraining-videos/
This short webinar series, developed by the Amphibian Ark, provides an interactive, online forum where managers of ex situ amphibian programs can discuss some of the main challenges program managers and keepers might have as they strive to reach their conservation goals. The content of the webinars follows the key steps in establishing and maintaining a successful ex situ amphibian conservation program. Each session runs for 60 minutes.
Species for rescue programs – https://conservationneeds.org/SpeciesRecommendRescue.aspx
Species recommended for urgent ex situ rescue programs via Conservation Needs Assessments. These are species that still exist in the wild, but the threats being faced by them cannot or will not be reversed in time to prevent likely species extinction. The species are arranged by range country, with highest priority species at the top of each list.
Species for ex situ husbandry research programs – https://conservationneeds.org/NationalAssessmentReport.aspx
Species recommended for ex situ research programs via Conservation Needs Assessments. Most of these species are recommended as analogs that can be used to developed husbandry protocols that can subsequently be applied to related, but more threatened species. The species are arranged by range country.
Program implementation tool – www.amphibianark.org/program-implementation-tool/
Amphibian Ark has developed an easy to use checklist that should be utilized prior to the commencement of any ex situ conservation breeding program for amphibians. If, and only if, all of the critical program aspects can be met for a species, should a new program be implemented. The program implementation tool can be used online.
Founder calculation tool – www.amphibianark.org/founder-animals/
Amphibian Ark’s Population Management Advisory Group has developed a tool to help calculate the number of founders that should be collected for a new program, based on the reproductive biology of the species being considered. The tool can be used online or downloaded and used offline.
Husbandry guidelines – www.amphibianark.org/husbandry-documents/
This section of the Husbandry Documents page on the AArk web site includes a range of species-specific amphibian husbandry guidelines. It also includes blank templates that can be used as a starting point for writing your own guidelines.
Species management plans – www.amphibianark.org/husbandry-documents/
Also found on the Husbandry Documents page on the AArk web site, this section includes a number of species-level management plans documenting the various aspects of the overall recovery of each species. It also includes blank templates that can be used as a starting point for writing additional management plans.
Captive Programs web pages – www.amphibianark.org/captive-programs/
This page leads into a group of pages for people managing captive amphibian programs, including specific pages on amphibian husbandry, establishing new programs, species knowledge, adequate program resources, population management, founder animals, husbandry skills and husbandry standards.
Monitoring the progress of amphibian conservation programs – www.amphibianark.org/progress-of-programs/
Successful captive conservation programs include a series of key steps throughout their life, from correct founder numbers, development of husbandry guidelines and a management plan, successful reproduction, and ultimately self-sustaining populations back in the wild. By documenting the progress of captive programs we are showing that zoos, aquariums and other ex situ facilities are making a vital conservation contribution towards reducing the loss of amphibian species, and for our community to be broadly acknowledged as a credible conservation partner. Check the progress of over 180 programs in 29 countries.
Mailing lists
A range of mailing lists related to various aspects of captive amphibian programs is available, and these include:
- Amphibian Veterinary Outreach Program (AVOP) – The AVOP mailing list is available for registered users to post questions related to health and veterinary concerns within ex situ amphibian conservation collections. Only amphibian professionals who are (1) in Latin America, (2) working in zoos, universities or other facilities involved in keeping living colonies of amphibians for conservation breeding, research, education, and (3) have limited access to a vet trained in amphibian issues – contact webmaster@amphibianark.org for details.
- Funding Opportunities – Receive (and post) announcements about grants and other funding opportunities appropriate for amphibian projects – contact webmaster@amphibianark.org for details.
- Husbandry Chat – Everything related to the art and science of maintaining living collections; share successful techniques with newbies or present your challenge to the experts – contact webmaster@amphibianark.org for details.
- Latin America – A forum in Spanish for topics related to ex situ amphibian conservation in Latin America – contact webmaster@amphibianark.org for details.
