Mammals
Birds
Amphibians
Reptiles
Preventing a catastrophe for amphibians worldwide
Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate group in the world with over 40% of all known species believed to be threatened with extinction.
They are also vital to planet Earth - pivotal members of their natural communities, both as predators and prey, and are hugely important in maintaining healthy forests and wetlands.
Their threat... Our action
Habitat loss is the primary threat for amphibians globally. In addition, amphibians are being decimated by the deadly fungal disease chytridiomycosis, also known as chytrid.
Durrell can make a difference. We have a wealth of experience in field conservation, captive management and training underpinned and guided by the best science.
Amphibian biodiversity is currently being lost at unprecedented rates around the world, primarily due to human led activities causing, amongst other impacts, habitat loss and degradation, the introduction of invasive species and facilitating the spread of deadly infectious diseases.
Threats to amphibians
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Habitat loss
The biggest threat facing amphibians is habitat loss and degradation. This affects more than half of the world’s 8,000 plus amphibian species. As global human populations rise, more and more pressure is being placed on natural resources. As a result, amphibians have lost huge areas of their habitats to agriculture, livestock production, logging, urbanization and other activities.
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Deforestation
Forests provide a stable environment for amphibians, but they’re being cut down at an alarming rate for agriculture, livestock production and timber. Amphibians are not as adaptable as other animals so are more susceptible to deforestation. They’re very sensitive to environmental changes, including changes in humidity and temperature. In addition, most deforestation occurs in tropical regions, where amphibian biodiversity is the greatest.
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Fragmentation
When forests are cleared, sometimes little patches are left behind. Amphibians living in those fragmented patches are especially vulnerable. Unable to disperse and get from one patch of the forest to the next, amphibians have less opportunity to breed. This can impact a species’ population size. It can also lead to reduced access to food sources. Smaller patches of forest are less environmentally stable than large areas. This can seriously affect amphibians due to their physiology.
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Disturbance
As humans encroach on natural habitats, roads, cars and urban areas disrupt natural environments and ecosystems. The effect of man-made disturbances can severely degrade natural environments. This means habitats become less suitable for the species to live in and this in turn has numerous knock-on effects.
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Chytrid fungus
Chytridiomycosis is a deadly and highly infectious disease caused by a chytrid fungus known commonly as Bd. It’s described as one of the worst vertebrate diseases ever recorded. A case in point is the mountain chicken – exposed to the disease, an estimated 99% of the global population has been decimated in the last 14 years. There is currently no cure.
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Climate change
Amphibians are highly vulnerable to Climate Change, which will also compound the impacts of other threats. Amphibians thrive in very specific temperature ranges so are greatly affected by climate change. An amphibian’s breeding season is largely driven by environmental cues such as temperature and moisture. Climate change can lead to rains coming late or not at all. This in turn means amphibians won’t be able to breed as much or as effectively, which could ultimately affect population levels. Changes in temperature can also make amphibians become more susceptible to disease and alter their local habitat.
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Pollution
Due to their delicate and permeable skins, amphibians are highly susceptible to toxins and pollutants. In some cases, amphibians are killed directly when exposed to pesticides. There are also other effects such as reproductive problems, deformities and depressed immune systems that lead to destruction. Other highly toxic pollutants include fertilizer run-off and waste from mining that is sometimes dumped into rivers.
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Invasive species
Non-native animals introduced to an area can have devastating effects on local amphibian populations. By way of example, if a fish is introduced into an ecosystem, it can start eating a frog’s eggs and tadpoles. This can have a devastating impact on population numbers. Introduced species can be a source of disease and spread to native populations.
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Over-exploitation
Some species are highly desirable in the international pet trade or are used as food, impacting wild populations. The global market for frog legs as a food source is extensive. Some estimates put the export of frog legs from Indonesia alone at around 80,000,000 frogs a year. This is a largely unregulated trade and is having a great impact on amphibian populations. Certain species, such as the vibrantly coloured poison dart frogs, are highly desirable as pets. Taken in large numbers from the wild, this also contributes to the demise of amphibians.
Durrell’s action to conserve amphibians is through our global amphibian programme - the SAFE programme guided by our new 2022 - 2025 strategy.
Our aspiration for this is a situation where the most threatened amphibians at ten global priority sites are now SAFE thanks to conservation efforts led by capable local institutions in partnership with the zoo and conservation community. These projects will act as models for the global conservation community to replicate for amphibians worldwide.
Mission: Secure the survival of amphibian species at five sites across the world’s highest priority regions for amphibian conservation.
Priority regions
We will ensure amphibians are SAFE in five priority regions. These represent regions where there is high amphibian extinction risk and where Durrell has previous experience through our field or training programmes.
Priority regions
Madagascar: Fourth greatest number of endemic amphibian species
A global biodiversity hotspot is ranked fourth in the world for number of endemic amphibian species. There are over 370 currently identified species – and at least 46% of those are threatened with extinction.
Madagascar is one of Durrell’s highest priority areas, home to one of our longest running field programmes and where we have a wealth of expertise.
Our amphibian related work here will primarily focus on:
- Research and conservation actions for endangered frogs in Ambohitantely
- Supporting Association Mitisnjo in their amphibian conservation activities
- Engaging with partners to review and update Sahonagasy Action Plan
Brazil: The country with the most amphibian species in the world
There are over 1,000 amphibian species described for Brazil of which over 70% are endemic. The Atlantic Forest is one of Durrell’s priority sites within our Rewild Our World strategy, and this region contains over 550 species and has 80% endemism.
In Brazil we are working with local NGO Instituto Biotrópicos on three primary goals:
- Implement conservation management actions for two Crossodactylodes species in the Espinhaço Mountain Range
- Undertake targeted field surveys for other mountaintop endemics across the Atlantic Forest
- Establish network of amphibian conservationists to identify needs and deliver training and improve in-country capacity for amphibian conservation
Tropical Andes: World's highest number of threatened amphibians
Stretching from Venezuela in the north to Argentina in the south this region has the highest number of threatened amphibian species in the world with over 400, many of which have highly restricted ranges. Focus will be in Bolivia on supporting local NGO Bolivian Amphibian Initiative in their projects for Titicaca water frog and the three-coloured harlequin frog Atelopus tricolor. We will also explore opportunities within other countries in the region where Durrell can make an impactful contribution.
Caribbean: 90% of the amphibian species threatened with extinction
The region is home to Durrell’s longest running and flagship amphibian conservation programme – Saving the Mountain Chicken. A multi-partner project running since the 1990’s on the islands of Montserrat and Dominica, this will continue to be a priority project for Durrell.
Jersey: an eye on the locally Critically Endangered agile frog
On Durrell’s home island we have, through our zoo-based staff, been supporting conservation efforts for the agile frog in Jersey for over 30 years. Restricted to just two sites in the south-west the species is locally Critically Endangered and is the only population within the British Isles.
Safe stages
Building on the strengths of our field conservation, training and captive management, we will use the best science to guide us each step of the way.
To ensure amphibians are SAFE we will progress through four stages. The SAFE programme will undertake activities through the following four stages.
First we must understand the situation of species in the wild (SAFE checks) which will inform our conservation actions including the captive breeding needs (SAFE havens). We will seek to ensure long term sustainability and success by developing key skills in local partners (SAFEguards) and by galvanising support and collaboration from the international community (SAFEty in numbers).
Our route to success
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Applying SAFE checks
Knowledge varies greatly concerning threatened amphibians. For many species we have to establish what their status is and what responses are needed by undertaking field research. With more information at our fingertips, we can work with partners to identify priority actions both for the species and to build local capacity to lead conservation efforts in the future.
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Establishing SAFE havens
For some species captive populations need to be established and maintained. Our Zoo has extensive expertise in the captive management of threatened amphibians, and so through their leadership we will identify those amphibians most in need of captive assurance colonies, breeding programmes or research. Supporting priority in-country captive facilities, such as in Madagascar, through financial, technical, and capacity development support is a cost-effective way of maximising our impact in this area. The development of a new herpetology building at Jersey Zoo represents an opportunity to link our support in the field to zoo visitors We will work with staff in different breeding facilities to enable the exchange of skills and experience, whether it is through staff spending time at different in-country centres or at our Zoo in Jersey.
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Building SAFEguards
Through Durrell’s Conservation Academy we can carry out more detailed assessments of training, skills and development needs within local organisations. This helps to identify appropriate training interventions to run alongside fieldwork and captive breeding to build organisational capacity. We will provide training through amphibian conservationists from around the world through our Conservation Academy courses, conservation internships and professional development programmes.
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Promoting SAFEty in numbers
Amphibian conservation is still overlooked within global political and conservation processes. It is imperative that through global processes we are able to raise the profile and highlight the value of amphibian conservation. We will share all knowledge generated through the programme and engage with both conservation and zoo-based institutions. We hope to provide concrete success stories that can be replicated by other institutions both within our priority regions and worldwide. We will contribute as fully as possible to global initiatives for amphibians including the Amphibian Survival Alliance, the Amphibian Ark and the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group.