Toad-like ‘inner eye’ makes it hard to look away, York researcher says
The Canadian Press    December 15, 2011

Frog News compiled by SAVE THE FROGS! Volunteer Kristin Womack

We’ve added photos of 18 species of Ghanaian frogs and toads to our brand new Frogs & Toads of Ghana webpage. Be sure to check out the SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana page as well!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will conduct an in-depth status review of 374 rare southeastern aquatic, riparian and wetland animal and plant species and May Warrant Endangered Species Act Protection Includes 13 Amphibians and 12 Reptiles

Press Release-USF&WS 9/26/11
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will conduct an in-depth status review of 374 rare southeastern aquatic, riparian and wetland animal and plant species to determine if any or all of them warrant federal protection as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Service made this decision, commonly known as a 90-day finding, after reviewing a petition seeking to add a total of 404 species to the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants and analyzing information about these species in its files. While this initial review found evidence to suggest that ESA protection may be warranted for 374 of these species, the Service will now undertake a more thorough status review before determining whether to propose any of them for listing.

The review will encompass 13 amphibians, six amphipods, 17 beetles, three birds, four butterflies, six caddisflies, 81 crayfish, 14 dragonflies, 43 fish, one springfly, two isopods, four mammals, one moth, 35 mussels, six non-vascular plants, 12 reptiles, 43 snails, eight stoneflies, and 75 vascular plants. Included in the review is the Florida sandhill crane, a
long-legged, long-necked gray crane that resembles herons except for the bald patch of red skin on top of its head.

“The Endangered Species Act has proved to be a critical safety net for America’s imperiled fish, wildlife, and plants. Our finding today is the first step in determining whether these species need the special protection afforded by the Act,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.

Eighteen of the 404 species petitioned are already on the Service’s list of candidates for listing as threatened or endangered or are subjects of a proposed rule to list. The decision for one fish, the Alabama shad, was given to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) because the species is under its jurisdiction. The NMFS found that the petition did not present substantial scientific or commercial information to move forward with a 12-month finding for the Alabama shad. The Service has not yet made a finding on the remaining 11 species, but anticipates doing so no later than September 30, 2011.

Most of the species, such as the caddisflies and crayfish, are found in small areas. However, some like the green floater mussel and the black rail historically ranged over much larger areas and have seen their habitat and numbers significantly reduced. All of these species face one or more of the following threats:  the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of their habitat or range; overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; disease or predation; the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; and natural or manmade factors affecting the species’ survival.

The status reviews for these species (other than the 18 already on the candidate list), as well as any subsequent listing proposals that may follow, will likely follow completion of a multi-year listing work plan approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on September 9, 2011. This work plan, developed through a settlement agreement with WildEarth Guardians and a separate, complimentary settlement agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity, will enable the agency to systematically, over a period of six years, review and address the needs of more than 250 species now on the candidate list, to determine if they require ESA protection. A list of these species is available at
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/listing_workplan.html.

Based on the status reviews for these 374 aquatic-dependent species, the Service will issue 12-month findings for each species and determine whether to propose them for listing. At this time, however, the 12-month findings are not scheduled to be completed within the next six years due to the priorities detailed in this court-approved work plan, unless the Service is able to combine these findings with other actions already funded and/or scheduled.

To ensure this status review is comprehensive, the Service is soliciting information on the 374 species from governmental agencies, Native American tribes, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested parties concerning the status of the species.

The finding will publish in the Federal Register on September 27, 2011. (I think it was meant to say 2012).

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Written comments regarding the status of these 374 species may be submitted by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FWS-R4-ES-2011-0049-0001

U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS–R4–ES–2011–0049]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.

Comments must be received within 60 days, on or before November 28, 2011. The Service will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means the agency will post any personal information provided through the process. The Service is not able to accept email or faxes.

For further information contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, Southeast Regional Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30345.

For more information about this finding, please visit the Service’s Southeast regional web site at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/.

Vanessa Kauffman, 703-358-2138, vanessa_kauffman@fws.gov
Tom MacKenzie, 404-679-7291, tom_mackenzie@fws.gov

Position Title: M.S. Assistantship (wetland amphibian conservation)

Agency/Location: Iowa State University, Dept. of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Ames, IA http://www.nrem.iastate.edu/

Responsibilities: Conduct research on conservation of amphibians in agricultural landscapes. The study will be carried out under the direction of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey-Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and Iowa State
University in collaboration with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey–Fort Collins Science Center and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Research will evaluate the effectiveness of constructed wetlands as amphibian habitats as reflected in water quality, evidence of reproduction and population size estimates of native amphibians. The student will carry out all aspects of the project with guidance from supervisors. The student will supervise one or more field technicians, maintain quality control of data collection, analysis, archiving, preparation of annual progress reports and other routine duties as needed. Completion of the project will serve as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a M.S. degree from Iowa State University. Other requirements include satisfactory completion of coursework, a teaching experience, and submission of
one or more manuscripts for publication.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, ecology, zoology, biology, environmental science, or related field. Coursework and research/internship experience in herpetology, aquatic ecology, wetlands, wildlife biology, population assessment, and environmental science is highly desirable. Candidates with demonstrated written and oral communication skills and strong academic credentials are preferred. Must be physically capable and willing to work long hours in demanding outdoor conditions. For departmental graduate admission requirements and other information see
(http://www.nrem.iastate.edu/graduate/admissions.php).

Salary/Benefits: $19,000/year, benefits and 50% tuition waiver (tuition is in-state)

Closing/Starting Dates: Open until filled – review of applications begins October 17,
2011. Starting date January 9, 2012.

Contact: Send pre-application (cover letter, résumé, transcripts and GRE scores) electronically to Dr. Clay Pierce, Dept. of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, cpierce@iastate.edu. (Transcripts and GRE scores can be
unofficial scans of your copies for the pre-application.)

One of the goals of the Save The Frogs Day Rally in DC was to get the attention of the US EPA, who holds the power to ban Atrazine and whose mission it is to protect environmental and human health. In this regard (and every other I can think of!), the rally was a huge success. The EPA heard about the rally, and last Friday I gave a 50-minute presentation on amphibian conservation to 10 members of the EPA’s Pesticide Division in Arlington, VA. I spoke about the threats amphibians face, the importance of protecting amphibians and the problems with Atrazine. I showed pictures from the rally and also delivered our petition with the signatures of 10,012 SAVE THE FROGS! supporters calling for a federal ban on the use and production of Atrazine. I also delivered 16 pages of my favorite comments collected from the petition signatories.

Read my letter to the EPA here (official submission of the petition).

Read the petition comments here.

Though Atrazine did not get banned at the conclusion of our meeting, I was extremely pleased with the reception I received and feel confident that we are on the path towards a federal Atrazine ban: ten of the most important people in the EPA now know and care more about frogs than they did a week ago, and our petition to ban Atrazine will soon be submitted to the Federal Register along with an official call for comments period.

Unfortunately, the rules under which the EPA is forced to operate do not make it easy to ban an approved pesticide. The soonest it seems they would ban Atrazine is 2013 — when the official review period begins. In the meantime, they will be working to ensure that all the available science (6,000 studies) has been thoroughly reviewed so that the review period is completed as rapidly as possible. SAVE THE FROGS! will continue to raise awareness of the issue in order to gain widespread public support for a ban, and I will be sure to attend next year’s Scientific Advisory Panel hearings on the ecological effects of Atrazine. We will also begin working at the city, county and state level, and for this we will soon seek your assistance!

I want to thank everybody who signed the petition, and also thank the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council, whose supporters sent over 70,000 letters to the EPA in recent weeks in support of a ban on Atrazine. The fight for an Atrazine-free USA is not over, but our voices have been heard!

A message from Kristine Grayson:
We are pleased to announce that we will be teaching a course in Field Herpetology this summer at Mountain Lake Biological Station, VA. We hope you will share this opportunity with your students. The Field Herpetology course, along with five other excellent courses, can be viewed at: http://mlbs.org/courses.html

The Field Herp course is three weeks and runs from July 12 – 30. We will explore the ecology, behavior, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles, with a focus on amphibians of the Southeast. A large portion of the course will involve field-based exercises to learn methodology for identifying and monitoring a wide variety of species. Course goals also include examining current literature on amphibian and reptile conservation and conducting collaborative research projects.

Both graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. Applications are accepted at http://mlbs.org/genappform/courseapp.htm on a rolling basis. Review of applications for financial aid begins on March 15th. Email krgrayson@virginia.edu to view the syllabus or for any questions about the course.

Best wishes,

Kristine Grayson, University of Virginia and
Linda Green, Georgia Institute of Technology

This is a great example of how museums, zoos and aquariums can get involved with Save The Frogs Day activities. Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum will be celebrating Save The Frogs Day with an array of activities to educate adults and kids about amphibians and to raise money for amphibian conservation efforts. Museum Visitors and Staff will all be encouraged to wear green to show their support for this event.

Here are some of the Museum’s planned activities:

Information/Education Table
Learn some cool frog facts, find info on the threats that frogs are facing and what you can do to help. Play a detective game to solve the case of the disappearing frogs. Take a scavenger hunt to find the frogs around the museum and gather information about those frogs.

Frog Monitoring Network
Representatives from this great local organization will be on hand to show what is involved in becoming a Frog Monitor.

Live Frog Display
See a variety of live frog and toad species from the museum’s living collections.

Academy Collections
Scientists from the Collections Department will be displaying specimens and talking about preservation techniques.

Frog Art
Karen Sako , a local artist will have a few of her students working on a frog mural, which visitors and their children will be encouraged to help paint. She will also be doing a live painting of a frog of her choice and donating one of her already finished frog pieces to a raffle to raise money for SAVE THE FROGS. (Please also see the SAVE THE FROGS Art Contest Page)

Frog Rocks (Frogs Rock!)
Paint a rock to look like a frog! ($3 charge)

Frog Hopping Game – 11am to 12.30
How far can you hop? Compare your hopping skills with different frog species.

Face Painting – 11am to 1pm
Come get your face painted to look like your favorite frog. ($3 charge)

Film Showing – 1pm
Why Frogs Call and Why We Should Listen. Followed by a discussion led by local amphibian expert, Mike Lanoo.

Frog and Toad Feeding – 1pm
Feeding time for our frogs and toads, what do they eat?

Frog Origami – 1pm to 3pm
Create your very own origami frog from recycled paper.

Extras:
• Jim Harris’s DVD ‘Midwestern Frogs and Toads’ will be showing and copies will be available for purchase in the Museum Store.
• Frog and Toad calls will be played throughout the day in the Museum lobby.
• Frog and Toad merchandise will be prominently featured at the front of the Museum Store.
• Visitors will be given a ten percent discount on all amphibian related merchandise in the Museum Store.

Thanks to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum for taking action to SAVE THE FROGS!

Rain Frogs and a Slug-Sucking Snake New to Science but Nearly Extinct –
Scientists Discover Snake and 30 New Frog Species Already Threatened by Global Warming

QUITO, ECUADOR.
A team of American and Ecuadorian scientists working for Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International have discovered a treasure trove of previously undiscovered biodiversity in a rare and dwindling ecosystem in coastal Ecuador. The apparently new species include a blunt-snouted, slug-sucking snake and 30 species of rain frog.

The snake belongs to a small group of serpents that specialize in eating gastropods (snails and slugs) and the closest relative of this intriguing snake is found nearly 350 miles away in Peru. Another snake, a snail-sucker, just discovered by the researchers, was previously found only as close as Panama, more than 600 miles away, and may also be a new species. The snail-sucker was first encountered by a 15-year-old volunteer working with the scientists.

The new frogs have an extraordinary life-cycle. Instead of laying eggs in water which hatch into tadpoles, later to metamorphose into the adult form, they lay eggs in trees. The eggs then hatch out into miniature versions of the adults, some barely larger than a pinhead.

Other animals found on the expedition include a gecko so small that it can perch with ample room to spare on the top of a pencil; three species of lungless salamanders; and a bushmaster, which is the largest viper in the world, yet is rarely recorded, having been hunted almost to extinction in many parts of its range.

A majority of the new species were found in Cerro Pata de Pajaro, a small mountain just a few minutes from the Pacific Ocean and sitting right atop the Equator. Pata de Pajaro is surrounded by a type of rainforest and capped in cloud forest. The extent of cloud forest on the site is only a couple miles wide, yet houses at least 14 of the 30 new species known nowhere else on Earth. “There is obviously a great concern that these species will disappear as soon as, or even before, they are formally described by science”, said expedition leader Dr. Paul S. Hamilton of RAEI.

Indeed, sites like Pata de Pajaro are under siege from countless ecological disturbances, from widespread deforestation for cattle grazing to timber harvesting and hunting. Climate change models actually predict that many of these mountaintop cloud forests “along with the animals that depend on them – will disappear altogether from global warming if something is not done to save them. The rain frogs just discovered are particularly susceptible to climate change since they rely on moist trees to lay their eggs which may dry up with temperature increases.

Previous work by the scientists in the area yielded an amazing diversity of reptiles and amphibians, over 140 species in number. Incidentally, the team has found four new species of stick insect (casually known as stick bugs), just from taking photos of these fascinating creatures in the course of research on reptiles and amphibians. “There are countless gaps in our knowledge about the status and distribution of tropical animals; this study just scratches the surface of what we know about this region alone, much less what is happening to global patterns of extinction”, said Dr. Hamilton, adding “But to stem the pattern of current extinction rates, we all need to do our part, whether that be driving less, eating less meat, or simply educating ourselves and spreading the word.”

“The good news is, the animals are still there and alive, so there is still time to save them from extinction,” said Dr. Kerry Kriger, Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Save the Frogs. “But we need to take action now to make it happen.

Scientists identify Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park as one of the
most biodiverse places on Earth

A team of scientists has documented that Yasuní National Park, located in the core of the Ecuadorian Amazon, is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The new study details how Yasuní shatters world records for a wide array of plant and animal groups, from amphibians to trees to insects.

“Yasuní is at the center of a small zone where South America’s amphibians, birds, mammals, and vascular plants all reach maximum diversity,” said Dr. Clinton Jenkins of the University of Maryland. “We dubbed this area the ‘quadruple richness center.’”

The study, published in the open-access scientific journal PLoS ONE, is available online at http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008767

“The 150 amphibian species documented to date throughout Yasuní is a world record for an area of this size,” said Shawn McCracken of Texas State University. “There are more species of frogs and toads within Yasuní than are native to the United States and Canada combined.”

The scientists also confirmed that an average upland hectare (2.47 acres) in Yasuní contains more tree species, 655, than are native to the continental United States and Canada combined. The number of tree species rises to over 1,100 for an area of 25 hectares.

“In just one hectare in Yasuní, there are more tree, shrub, and liana (woody vines) species than anywhere else in the world,” said Gorky Villa, an Ecuadorian botanist working with both the Smithsonian Institution and Finding Species.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic of all is that a single hectare of forest in Yasuní is projected to contain 100,000 insect species. According to eminent entomologist Dr. Terry Erwin, that is the highest estimated diversity per unit area in the world for any plant or animal group.

“One of our most important findings about Yasuní is that small areas of forest harbor extremely high numbers of animals and plants,” said lead author Margot Bass, President of Finding Species, a non-profit with offices in Maryland and Quito, Ecuador. “Yasuní is probably unmatched by any other park in the world for total numbers of species.”

The extraordinary diversity of Yasuní is best exemplified at the 6.5 km2 (1600 acre) Tiputini Biodiversity Station, located on the northern edge of the park.

“The Tiputini Biodiversity Station is home to 247 amphibian and reptile species, 550 bird species, and around 200 mammal species, including 10 primates and an array of large predators,” said Dr. Kelly Swing of the University of San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador.

“In addition, the station is the richest site in the world for bats,” added researcher Dr. Thomas Kunz of Boston University. “We estimate that over 100 different bat species inhabit this small area.”

Yasuní also contains 28 endangered vertebrates on the IUCN Red List, including threatened large primates (White-bellied Spider Monkey and Poeppig’s Woolly Monkey) and aquatic mammals (Giant Otter and Amazonian Manatee), and a number of regional endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.

“What makes Yasuní especially important is its potential to sustain this extraordinary biodiversity in the long term,” said Dr. Matt Finer of Save America’s Forests. “For example, the Yasuní region is predicted to maintain wet, rainforest conditions as climate change-induced drought intensifies in the eastern Amazon.”

The authors warn, however, that current and potential oil development projects represent the greatest threat to Yasuní.

The paper concludes with a number of science-based policy recommendations. One key recommendation is as a moratorium on new oil exploration or development projects within the park, particularly in the remote and relatively intact—but oil rich—northeast corner that contains oil blocks 31 and ITT.

The Ecuadorian government is currently promoting a revolutionary plan, known as the Yasuní-ITT Initiative, which would leave the park’s largest oil reserves in the ITT block permanently under the ground.

“This plan, however, urgently needs international funders to step up and make it a success, or else more drilling in Yasuní may become a tragic reality,” concluded Finer.

CONTACT:
Shawn McCracken, Texas State University – Dept. of Biology: smccracken@txstate.edu
Matt Finer, Save America’s Forests: 202•544•9219, matt@saveamericasforests.org
Margot Bass, Finding Species: mbass@findingspecies.org