The Memphis Zoo is seeking a post-doctoral fellow who will be responsible for conducting research on salamander reproductive physiology, under the general direction of the Director of Research and Conservation at the Memphis Zoo. The candidate will work on several different threatened and common species of salamanders during the two (2) year post-doctoral fellowship and will be located at Mississippi State University (MSU) as part of a multi-institutional effort. The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will be hosting the candidate and the applicant will be co-supervised by the department chair. Research work may include the development of novel hormone protocols for sperm production and ovulation, in-vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, cryopreservation of gametes and in general improving reproductive output within captive assurance colonies. 

(more…)

You are cordially invited to join me this Sunday, December 26th at 12pm for a hike around my favorite place in Santa Cruz Country: the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell State Park. We will do a 3-4 mile leisurely hike through the park, and should see a few salamanders. You will have the opportunity to ask me your amphibious questions, and it will be a great chance to meet other SAVE THE FROGS! supporters.

WHEN:
This Sunday, December 26th 2010. We will depart from the parking lot on the park’s south side at 12pm, rain or shine and should return by 3pm.

PREPARE:
Dress appropriately for the weather. There is not much sunshine in the park even on a clear day.
There are no restroom facilites at the parking lot or along the trail.
Hiking boots are recommended.
All ages are welcome, though the middle section of the hike can be hilly.
For those only wanting to hike the easy section, no problem, you can turn back after a mile and find your way back easily.

DIRECTIONS:
The park is on the northwest side of Felton, which is 15 minutes north of Santa Cruz. From the main intersection in Felton, head WEST on Felton Empire Road about a mile. The Fall Creek parking lot will be on your right (north). If you are driving too fast, you will miss it…plus there may be salamanders crossing — so go slow.

RSVP:
Please email me at contact@savethefrogs.com to let me know how many will be in your party.

HOW MUCH:
The hike is FREE, though I strongly urge you to place a tax-deductible donation to SAVE THE FROGS! before, during, or after the hike. Your support has helped us have an incredible first year in Santa Cruz, and will ensure that we have an even more successful 2011.
Donate online at: http://savethefrogs.com/donate
Donate by phone: Call 1-877-75-FROGS
Donate by check: Made out to SAVE THE FROGS!
Donate by credit card live at the site: if the wireless signals in which we generally bathe are permeating the parking lot.
Thank you!

SAVE THE FROGS! 2010 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
SAVE THE FROGS! relocated from Virginia to Santa Cruz in February 2010. Since our arrival in California, we have accomplished a significant amount to protect the state’s natural heritage:

– I gave 45 free public presentations on amphibian conservation in California, at venues including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences, the Santa Cruz Library and several local schools.
http://savethefrogs.com/events

– The 2nd Annual Save The Frogs Day (April 30th, 2010), an event we conceived and coordinate, was legally recognized by Santa Cruz Mayor Mike Rotkin, who attended my Save The Frogs Day talk at Monarch Community School. The 2nd Annual Save The Frogs Day was the largest day of amphibian education and conservation action in the planet’s history, with 104 events in 21 countries.
http://savethefrogs.com/day

– We succeeded in getting San Francisco’s Restaurant Gary Danko to remove the wild-caught Pig Frogs (Rana grylio) from their menu, making them the first restaurant in the world to remove frog legs from their menus for environmental reasons — and setting an important precedent in the culinary world.
www.savethefrogs.com/frog-legs

– We succeeded in making California the first state in the country to ban the importation of non-native frogs and turtles for use as food. These non-natives become harmful invasive species that prey on native wildlife and spread disease.
www.savethefrogs.com/frogblog/frog-news/california-bans-the-importation-of-non-native-frogs-for-use-as-food/

– We helped get the California Tiger Salamanders listed as threatened under the state Endangered Species Act.

– We are about to start restoring habitat for endangered California Red-Legged Frogs at Antonelli pond on the west side of Santa Cruz.
http://savethefrogs.com/antonelli

– We’ve started a long-term ecological monitoring project in partnership with San Lorenzo Valley High School.

– We also have programs worldwide! http://savethefrogs.com/korea

SEE YOU SUNDAY!

Dr. Kerry Kriger
Save The Frogs – Founder, Executive Director, Ecologist
www.savethefrogs.com
www.savethefrogs.com/kerry-kriger

NEWS RELEASE
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas
http://www.cnah.org
23 March 2009

SALAMANDER RESEARCH POSITION FOR JUNE-AUGUST 2009

I am looking for one or two field assistants to help with research on Long-toed
Salamanders in the Pacific Northwest this summer. The field season will run from June
until the end of August. The job involves helping to locate and catch salamanders, taking
notes and conducting habitat analyses. There is also a small laboratory component during
which the assistant will help with DNA extractions and PCR.

Qualifications:

1) Experience hiking and camping required. Preference will be given to applicants with previous field experience.
2) Physically fit. The job will involve hiking to field sites with gear, actively looking for salamanders and long stretches of time outdoors.
3) A willingness to learn, enthusiasm for research and full dedication to the project
4) Must be comfortable working and living in small groups
5) Driver‚s license and first aid certification, are not required but are helpful

Additional Requirements:

1) Canadian citizenship or valid work permit for Canada
2) Successful applicant must have valid health insurance, including coverage in Canada
and the USA for the duration of the field season.

Salary:

Will depend on experience but, at a minimum, will be more than sufficient to cover living
expenses during the field season

Other Benefits:

1) Learn about amphibians and get experience in the field
2) Great for outdoors enthusiasts as there is lots of hiking, camping, etc. involved
3) An interesting way to see the Western United States and Canada (Alberta, British
Columbia, Montana, Washington and Idaho)
4) Opportunities for credit and/or an independent project can be discussed

Deadlines:

I will be accepting applications until April 15 but interviews will commence before then as
I am hoping to fill this position by May. If interested, please contact Julie Lee-Yaw at:

lee-yaw@zoology.ubc.ca

for more information and to obtain an application form.

Julie A. Lee-Yaw
Graduate Student
Zoology Department
University of British Columbia

NEWS RELEASE
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas
http://www.cnah.org
4 March 2009

SALAMANDER SEASONAL TECHNICIAN

Agency: Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Location: Southwestern North Carolina

Job Description: A seasonal field technician is needed for research investigating headwater
stream community ecology in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Field work will involve capturing, identifying, gut flushing, and measuring salamanders found in and around headwater streams, as well as collecting water quality data and aquatic macro-invertebrates. Laboratory work will involve identifying salamander gut contents and processing water samples, although the majority of the work will be field based. Field work will begin in late May and last through the middle of August.

Qualifications: Successful applicants must be able to work long hours in sometimes
inclement weather while hiking in mountainous terrain. Preference will be given to applicants with a strong interest in stream ecology, herpetology, community ecology, or wildlife conservation. Previous experience working in the field or with salamanders is desirable, but not required. To apply please send a resume, brief statement of interest (1-2 paragraphs), and contact information for two references to Conor Keitzer at:

skeitzer@purdue.edu

Salary: $8.50/hour and housing will be provided at a field research station.

Last Date to Apply: Open until filled.

Contact Information:

S. Conor Keitzer
Graduate Research Assistant
Forestry and Natural Resources
Purdue University
715 W State Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2061
(765) 494-9597

NEWS RELEASE
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas
http://www.cnah.org
20 February 2009

NORTH CAROLINA HERPETOFAUNAL FIELD TRIP

The 2009 Spring meeting of the North Carolina Herpetological Society will be held Saturday, April 25 at Morrow Mountain State Park. Morrow Mountain is in the Uwharrie Region of North Carolina, about 45 miles east of Charlotte. The Uwharrie Mountains are among the oldest mountains in North America, having formed about 500 million years ago. This region also harbors an interesting mixture of Mountain, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain flora and fauna because of its geology, topography, and location.

In addition to the meeting on Saturday, field trips on Friday and Sunday will be organized as “herp-blitzes” of nearby public and private lands to increase our knowledge of local amphibian, turtle, and reptile distribution and abundance. Additional meeting details will be sent out soon.

We are soliciting presentations from anyone interested in sharing information about research, conservation, education, or related topics about NC’s herpetofauna, especially topics about Uwharrie Region herps. Talks should be about 20-30 minutes long.

If you are interested in speaking, please send an email to me with your ideas.

Jeff Humphries
Piedmont Wildlife Diversity Biologist
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
404 Barclay Rd.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
Work (cell): 919-928-4071
Home (cell): 919-428-8724
jeff.humphries@earthlink.net

NEWS RELEASE
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas
http://www.cnah.org
17 February 2009

Title: Herpetology Research Assistant
Organization: Archbold Biological Station (http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/
index.htm)
Locations: Clayton, Georgia and Lake Placid, Florida
One full-time, term (16 mo.) position

DESCRIPTION: This is a unique opportunity to conduct research on amphibians in the Blue
Ridge Mountains of north Georgia from March to September and herps of the Florida scrub from October to February.

The work in Georgia entails: 1) developing and implementing population monitoring protocols for stream and terrestrial salamanders, 2) assisting with ongoing disease surveillance of amphibians, and 3) involving partner organizations (e.g., Georgia Wildlife Federation, Zoo Atlanta) and volunteer citizen-scientists in some aspects of data collection. The project is funded through a State Wildlife Grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The Research Assistant must be able to live at the relatively remote research site for both field seasons. The site is a privately owned, 130-acre conservation area in the Upper Tallulah River watershed, located approximately 20 miles from Clayton, Georgia.

While in Florida, the Herpetology Research Assistant will provide general support for the Herpetology and Restoration Ecology programs at Archbold. Duties will include assisting with population monitoring of gopher tortoises, surveys of amphibians in seasonal wetlands, collections management, and data entry and analysis.

Start date is negotiable (preferably by the end of March 2009).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor’s degree in wildlife science, biology, or a related field and at least 1 year of experience conducting field-based herpetological research. Familiarity with standard herpetological survey and marking techniques, knowledge of basic statistics, and experience using GPS. In addition, the successful candidate will be highly self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks with minimal supervision, and possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Preferred qualifications include a Master’s degree in a relevant field; experience with herpetofauna of the southeastern U.S., particularly the natural history and identification of plethodontid salamanders; and experience with mark-recapture methodology and data analysis (e.g., Program MARK).

Applicants must have their own vehicle and the successful candidate must be able to verify that s/he is authorized to work in the U.S.

SALARY: $11/hr plus full benefits. Housing will be provided at both locations (no pets).

LAST DATE TO APPLY: 23 FEBRUARY 2009

TO APPLY: Email a letter of interest and resumé with names, phone numbers, and email
addresses of three references to Dr. Betsie Rothermel, Archbold Biological Station (brothermel@archbold-station.org). Please indicate “Herp field assistant” in the subject line.

Archbold is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.