Announcement from James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland

Projects:
1) Immunity to amphibian chytridiomycosis and
2) Virulence of amphibian chytridiomycosis

Chytridiomycosis has caused amphibian declines and extinctions globally as it has spread through naïve populations. It is now endemic in much of its suitable range in Australia where it still causes high mortality rates and threatens amphibian biodiversity. We have project funds to investigate how virulence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and host immunity are evolving as the amphibian host/fungal pathogen relationship adapts to new hosts. The immunity project extends an ongoing collaborative study into factors affecting mechanisms of innate and acquired immunity. The virulence project involves experiments on archived and field collected isolates from different times after invasion to assess strain virulence. Both studies involve lab and animal experiments and proteomics. Both projects could also involve field work and genetics depending on experimental outcomes. In negotiation with the supervisors, the student will be able to pursue areas of interest within this framework. The projects are multidisciplinary and involve collaborators such as Taronga Zoo and NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change. The outcomes of the projects are likely to be used by these and other stakeholders and lead to the improved conservation of amphibian biodiversity. It is also expected that the work will have high scientific impact and contribute to theories on host/pathogen evolution. PhD graduates would be qualified for employment in universities and industry. The selected applicants would need to apply for an APA or international PhD scholarship. Please see http://www.jcu.edu.au/grs/scholarships/index.htm

Ideal PhD candidates will have:

1. 1st class honours or equivalent research credentials in a relevant discipline such as veterinary science or zoology majoring in microbiology or immunology
2. Laboratory skills in amphibian husbandry and experiments
3. Demonstrated publication record
4. Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills.

Supervisors and Collaborators: Dr Lee Skerratt, Dr Lee Berger, Dr Scott Cashins, Prof Rick Speare, Dr Jason Mulvenna (School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, JCU), Dr Robert Puschendorf (School of Marine and Tropical Biology, JCU), Dr Peter Harlow (Taronga Zoo), Dr David Hunter (NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change).

Please send CV, cover letter and 2 reference letters to Lee.Berger@jcu.edu.au by July 20th, 2011.
For more information on the virulence project contact Lee.Berger@jcu.edu.au and on the immunity project contact Lee.Skerratt@jcu.edu.au

SAVE THE FROGS! supporters from George Mason University are leading a protest in defense of frog populations this Saturday, September 4th, 5pm, at the Rio Grande Café in Arlington, VA. We are depending on you to join this valiant group of frog savers in protesting Rio Grande’s sales of frogs’ legs. The future of amphibious life on planet Earth is at stake, so stand up and make your voice heard this Saturday: the frogs are depending on you!

Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande restaurants have never responded to over 1,000 letters that SAVE THE FROGS! supporters have sent them regarding their sales of frog legs. The frog legs trade is responsible for the spread of infectious diseases and harmful invasive species, and the depletion of wild frog populations. One-third of the world’s amphibian species are already on the verge of extinction and thus a wealthy corporation like Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande restaurants has no business contributing to the further extinction of frog species.

With your help this Saturday we can educate the restaurants’ patrons about frog extinctions AND make the restaurant re-assess its deplorable environmental practices. With your help, I have no doubt we can get all 16 Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande restaurants to stop selling frog legs, just like San Francisco’s Restaurant Gary Danko did in April after we made our voices heard to them. But only with your help!

PLEASE TAKE A STAND THIS SATURDAY: IT’S UP TO YOU TO SAVE THE FROGS!

WHERE:
Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Cafe,
4301 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203

WHEN:
Saturday, September 4th
5pm-8pm

WHY:
Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande restaurants sell American Bullfrogs farm-raised in China. These frogs regularly escape their rearing facilities and spread infectious diseases to native frog populations. A recent study showed that up to 62% of the American Bullfrogs entering the USA for food are infected with the chytrid fungus, responsible for the extinction of up to 100 amphibian species worldwide. The bullfrogs are also voracious predators of native frogs and other native wildlife. Learn all about the frog legs trade here.

I can’t think of many ways worse ways for a frog to die than to get munched alive by a huge American Bullfrog, and I can’t think of many more excruciatingly slow ways for a frog to die than to have millions of chytrid fungi eating away at their skin until they finally go into cardiac arrest, their species being driven to complete extinction. You’re not going to let that be the fate of the world’s remaining frog populations are you?

Uncle Julio’s arrogantly ignores that their trade practices are contributing to the worldwide extinction of amphibian species. I’m a firm believer that citizens like me and you need to stand up to corporations that willingly destroy the environment without a care. That’s what the Rio Grande Café is doing, and you can help put an end to it, this Saturday at 5pm.

WHAT ARE THE PROTESTS LIKE?
They are fun, peaceful, fulfilling and enlightening. They will be even better with you there!
http://www.savethefrogs.com/frogblog/save-the-frogs/frog-legs-protests-a-huge-success/

WHAT IS THE GOAL?
The goal is to raise awareness of the problems related to the frog legs trade, and to persuade potential customers to boycott the restaurant, so that the Uncle Julio’s Corporation (which cares about money, not the environment) feels compelled to remove frog legs from their menu.

WHAT TO BRING:
A positive attitude! Assuming you have RSVP’d, we can provide you a sign. Or you can make one for yourself (e.g. “Rio Grande: Stop Driving Frogs To Extinction!” or “SAVE THE FROGS! Boycott Rio Grande”).

CAN I BRING MY KIDS?
Sure. The protests are peaceful and fun. Plus, kids can SAVE THE FROGS at least as well as adults.

I CAN’T ATTEND…WHAT CAN I DO?
(1) Email this message to anyone you know who cares about protecting wildlife.

(2) If you in the DC area, you can post one of these flyers at your office:

http://www.savethefrogs.com/actions/frog-legs/images/Flyer-Rio-Grande.pdf

(3) Everybody should call the restaurant at 703.528.3131 and tell them you do not plan to eat at their establishment until they remove frog legs from their menu (though you would be happy to if they removed the frog legs from the menu). Then email, call or write their CEO TODD Conger and tell him the same thing:
Todd Conger, CEO
Uncle Julio’s Corporation
1101 N. Union Bower, Suite 160
Irving, Texas 75061
Email: todd.conger@unclejulios.com
Phone: 972-554-6886

PLEASE RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE PROTEST!

QUESTIONS:
Email speakup@savethefrogs.com

THANKS AND SAVE THE FROGS!
Kerry Kriger, Ph.D.
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder, Executive Director & Ecologist

Sign up to receive the SAVE THE FROGS! newsletter at http://savethefrogs.com/newsletters

Victory for California’s native amphibians!

Millions of non-native American Bullfrogs enter San Francisco and Los Angeles each year from ports in China, Taiwan, Brazil and Uruguay. These farm-raised frogs are known carriers of a deadly chytrid fungus that has decimated California’s Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Populations, and caused the complete extinction of up to 100 amphibian species worldwide. One study showed that over 60% of the American Bullfrogs tested in California markets were infected with this deadly fungus! Being farmed around the world has also enabled the bullfrogs to become harmful invasive species that prey on native wildlife — both overseas, and right here in California. The endangered California Red-Legged Frogs are a favorite food of the predatory bullfrogs.

On April 8th, 2010, the CA Department of Fish & Game made the wise decision to ban the importation of non-native frogs and turtles for food. Unfortunately, a vocal minority of restaurant and supermarket owners successfully lobbied the Fish & Game Commission to hold a “re-consideration” of that ruling.

On May 19th, 2010, SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger testified at the Commission’s May 19th “reconsideration” hearing, highlighting the spread of infectious disease and invasive species that inevitably accompany the frog legs trade. Not only did the Commission vote 3-2 to maintain the ban on the importation of non-native frogs and turtles for use as food, they also voted to research methods of enforcing the ban and ensuring invasive species do not slip into the state via potential loopholes.

Thanks to the 1,196 SAVE THE FROGS! supporters letters that sent in letters to the Department of Fish & Game over the past 4 days!

Dr. Kriger’s letter to the Fish & Game Commission follows:
“My name is Dr. Kerry Kriger. I am the Founder & Executive Director of SAVE THE FROGS!, America’s first and only public charity dedicated to amphibian conservation. Our mission is to protect amphibian populations and to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. I have been involved in environmental conservation for 14 years, and have worked full time on amphibian conservation for 7 years.

On behalf of SAVE THE FROGS!, on behalf of our 300+ members and 1,300+ financial supporters, and on behalf of California’s 16 threatened amphibian species, I urge you to maintain the ban on the importation of non-native frogs and turtles into California for use as food. Reversing this ban would ensure the continued and magnified spread of harmful invasive species and pathogens, and thus would be in the worst interest of California’s ecosystems and all the state’s inhabitants.

Invasive species are one of the most significant threats to biodiversity in California and worldwide, and they are also one of the most costly: the Nature Conservancy estimates that invasive species cost Americans 120 billion dollars each year.

Millions of non-native American Bullfrogs enter San Francisco and Los Angeles each year from ports in China, Taiwan, Brazil, Uruguay and elsewhere. These farm-raised frogs are known carriers of a deadly chytrid fungus that has decimated California’s native frog populations and caused the complete extinction of up to 100 amphibian species worldwide. A recent study showed that over 60% of the American Bullfrogs tested in California markets were infected with this deadly fungus.

Being farmed around the world has also enabled the bullfrogs to become harmful invasive species that prey on native wildlife – both overseas, and right here in California. For example, the endangered California Red-Legged Frog is a favorite prey item of the predatory bullfrogs.

So long as non-native frogs and turtles are brought into the state, it is inevitable that some will escape or be set free and establish populations. It is also inevitable that the waterborne pathogens these animals carry will enter Californian ecosystems, as the regulation and sterilization of used water from the animal’s tanks would not be feasible. Eradication of invasive species and pathogens is nearly impossible.

Though assertions have been put forth that this ban improperly targets Asian communities due to the lack of a concurrent regulation of non-native frogs and turtles for use as pets, two wrongs do not make a right: a lack of proper regulation of the pet industry does not justify a failure to act intelligently with the food industry. Indeed I also urge the Department of Fish & Game to consider similar regulations on the import of non-native frogs and turtles for use as pets.

Also, the claim that this ban harms traditional Chinese culture is flawed:

First: the vast majority of the frogs being imported for food are American Bullfrogs, which have only a very recent history in Chinese cuisine; and

Second: Cultures necessarily evolve: if they did not, we would have long since eaten the buffalo and the California Red-Legged Frog to complete extinction, as we did the passenger pigeons.

As Americans, we are fortunate to have many choices of food, and thus it is our responsibility to act wisely and ensure that our culinary decisions are not unduly impacting our natural heritage and the future of our planet. As such, I request the Fish & Game Commission and the Department of Fish & Game uphold the ban on the importation of non-native frogs and turtles into California.

Thanks for your consideration.
Dr. Kerry Kriger

Regulating live trade could help prevent amphibian extinctions from chytridiomycosis

• On September 9, 2009, Defenders of Wildlife filed two detailed petitions – one with the Department of the Interior and the other with the Department of Agriculture – urging them to immediately regulate live amphibian imports in the pet, food, scientific and live bait trades to block the deadly amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, known as “Bd” or as the “chytrid fungus”. The disease poses a major threat to native amphibians, having already driven numerous frog species to extinction worldwide.

• Live amphibian imports are currently unregulated, creating excessive and unnecessary risk that the Bd pathogen will continue to enter, spread within and be shipped out of the United States. This unregulated trade – primarily for pet use and as live animals for consumption as frog legs – threatens the survival of many amphibians, including dozens of U.S. and foreign species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act.

• Prominent amphibian experts have endorsed these petitions, which provide key factual and legal analysis on how to tackle this emerging epidemic.

WASHINGTON (August 9, 2009) Peter T. Jenkins, director of international conservation for Defenders of Wildlife, urges regulation of live amphibian imports to help stem the spread of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis:

“It is critical that the U.S. follow the latest international animal health standards to ensure that the massive volumes of live amphibian imports do not continue to carry this deadly disease. Frogs and salamanders worldwide are going extinct due to Bd infections, but we can help them now by cleaning up this trade. We urge the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to quickly approve the petitions we filed today.”

LINKS:
Read Defenders’ petition to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Read Defenders’ petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Read more about Defenders’ work to safeguard amphibians.
Read Broken Screens, Defenders’ report on improving the regulation of live animal imports.

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come.

A postdoctoral position is available in lab of Dr. Karen Lips, Department of Biology,
University of Maryland, College Park. Creative and enthusiastic candidates are invited to
apply for a Postdoctoral Scientist position working at the intersection of disease ecology
and amphibian conservation in the neotropics. Dr. Lips is working on a variety of projects
related to the abundance and diversity of amphibians and the impact of Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis (Bd) on individuals, populations, and species at multiple
sites in Central and South America. The position will focus on host-pathogen interactions
at multiple spatial scales, including large-scale field surveys, indoor/outdoor
experiments, and spatial analyses at multiple scales.

To qualify, applicants should have a background in disease ecology, mark-recapture
techniques, population biology, physiology, or related field, demonstration of strong
analytical and writing skills, a record of consistent and high-quality publications, and the
ability to work independently. Preference will be given to applicants who have experience
in Latin America, working with host-pathogen systems, physiology and/or in population
biology.

Primary responsibilities of this position include: (1) conducting mark-recapture studies of
target species of amphibians at multiple sites in Panama and Costa Rica, (2) quantifying
disease prevalence of infection among species, habitats and sites, (3) studying amphibian
thermal physiology, (4) analyzing data and writing manuscripts, (5) contributing to
preparation of grant proposals for future work, and (6) coordinating projects of
undergraduate students involved in similar research in the lab.

Starting salary is $36,000 plus University of Maryland benefits. Funds are available for one
year, and renewable for a second pending satisfactory progress. This position will be
based at the University of Maryland, College Park, but will include fieldwork in Central and
South America. Starting date is negotiable.

Review of applications will begin 1 September 2009 and continue until a suitable
candidate is found. Target start date is Fall 2009. Interested applicants should send a pdf
of their CV, contact information for four references, and a brief statement of research
interests to

Dr. Karen R. Lips
Department of Biology
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland 20742
klips@umd.edu

NEWS RELEASE by:
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas

http://www.cnah.org

11 August 2009