Get Us Out of Here!

Giant Ditch Frog (Leptodactylus fallax), Critically Endangered

The Giant Ditch Frog, also known as the Mountain Chicken by locals due to its size and the taste of its flesh, is confined to two small islands in the Carribbean: Montserrat and Dominica. Although it used to inhabit several other nearby islands, it's total current range on the two islands is less than 50 km squared.

What caused it's decline? Environmental factors such as hurricanes and volcanoes may have played a part, as well as over-harvesting for food, with an estimated annual take of 8,000-36,000 (the government imposed a hunting ban on this former national dish, when populations started to decline).

Adding to the dilemma of this critically endangered amphibian is the world wide chytrid fungus crisis, a disease that is decimating frog populations around the globe. Although the island of Dominica has been infected since 2002, the island of Montserrat managed to remain disease free--until recently. In late 2008 or early 2009 the fungus made the jump to Montserrat and is currently decimating the Giant Ditch Frog population there, killing hundreds in just the past few weeks.

Fortunately, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have stepped in to help save this rare animal. Going into an area of healthy frogs where the disease had not yet reached, conservationists have successfully removed 50 individuals and airlifted them to Europe for use in a captive breeding program. Twelve of the Frogs will go to the ZSL, 12 to Durrell Wildlife, and the remaining 26 will go to Parken Zoo in Stockholm. The frogs will be kept in special biosecure housings to prevent infection by the chytrid fungus.

The goal is to breed the frogs and reintroduce individuals to disease-free areas of Montserrat within two years. Although the frogs have been bred in captivity before, it is a difficult process, as they have huge appetites and have unusual breeding habits for frogs. After digging a hole in the ground and filling it with foam, the female deposits 15-50 tiny eggs. The eggs hatch and develop into tadpoles, all in this isolated foam nest. For food, the mother deposits unfertilized eggs every few days for the young to feed on.

Although the captive breeding program promises hope for the Giant Ditch Frog, more needs to be done. Durrell Wildlife is currently raising funds to build an additional bio-secure facility to house these endangered frogs. For as little as 10 pounds (15 USD, 18 CAD), you can support the care of a Giant Ditch Frog. Donate or shop online or call Natalie Ranise on 01534 860013 (UK).

Population Explosion, Kind Of

Irrawaddy Dolphin <Orcaella brevirostris), Vulnerable

In early April, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced that a population of close to 6000 Irawaddy Dolphins has been discovered in Bangladesh. Before the discovery of the populations in Bangladesh, only a few small pockets of dolphins were known, most numbering less than 150. In short, the dolphins from Bangladesh have increased the known population more than six times.

Brian Smith, who led the study, expressed optimism for the future of the Irrawaddy Dolphin, but cautioned that the many threats still exist, including entanglement in fishing nets, declining freshwater supplies, and climate change.

The Wildlife Conservation Society is working with Bangladeshi officials to create a sanctuary for the dolphins in the mangrove forests where they live.

Keep your fingers crossed if you want to help the Irrawaddy Dolphin. Or you can take action and send an email to your Congressperson (if you live in the US), or support the WCS in their mission of Saving Wildlife.

Thanks to Colie for sharing the news.

Pass the Olives Please

Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), Vulnerable

Thousands of dead Olive Ridley Turtles wash up on the east coast of India every year, victims of shrimp trawlers, and fishing vessels using long-lines, and purse-seine and gill nets. Classified as Vulnerable (or in other terms, Nearly Endangered) by the IUCN, these turtles are also facing habitat degradation, over-harvesting of eggs and adults, and the impacts of global warming.

Many, though not all, Olive Ridleys nest in what are known as arribadas. An arribada (the Spanish word for arrival), is a mass breeding event, in which thousands of turtles leave the ocean at the same time to breed and lay eggs in sandy nests. One of the largest arribada sites is located near the mouth of the Dhamra River on the East coast of India, in the province of Orissa.

Currently, the construction of a port is in the works, very near the site of the arribada. The company carrying out the construction is a joint venture between Tata Steel and Larsen and Toubro Ltd., two Indian companies. Set to open in 2010, the port has met resistance from environmental groups concerned about the impacts of shipping traffic and the port construction on the turtles breeding grounds.

Check out a map of the proposed port site and the turtle breeding grounds here.

Although the joint company has conducted an Enviroment Impact Analysis, allegations have been made that it is inadequate and does not take into account all relevant factors. Though the company has partnered with the IUCN to "minimize and mitigate the impacts" of the development, many believe the most effective solution for the protection of the turtles is the relocation of the proposed port.

One of the biggest concerns is an increase in artificial lighting. Both nesting females and newly hatched turtles use light as a cue--the ocean is naturally brighter than land. Artificial lighting disorients many turtles, causing them to head inland rather than towards the sea. The increased industrialization that will undoubtedly occur in the area is another concern, bringing higher levels of pollution, disrupting the local marine ecosystem.

Check out the Wild Foundation, working to prevent the construction of the port.

Write a letter protesting the construction of the port.

Read about the companies environmental policies, and their defense of the port.

Mushrooms for Breakfast, Mushrooms for Lunch, Mushrooms for . . .

Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous gilbertii), Critically Endangered

Gilbert's Potoroo, named for the English naturalist John Gilbert, is perhaps the most endangered marsupial in Australia. Known as the Ngil-gyte by local aboriginals, it is a small marsupial rat-kangaroo, with soft fur, bulging eyes, and a tail almost as long as its 30cm body. If you know what bandicoots and wallabies look like, a potoroo is somewhere in the middle. Fewer than 50 wild individuals are restricted to two tiny areas on the southern coast of Western Australia.

These shy nocturnal creatures are an oddity in the mammal world, in that they are fungivores. That is, 90% of their diet consists of truffles, the fruiting body of underground fungi. The spores of over 40 types of truffle have been found in their dung! The rest of their diet consists of small insects and small fleshy fruit.

It was first discovered around 1840 in southwest Australia, when John Gilbert wrote that large numbers were procured by aboriginals for food in the space of a few hours. By 1870, it was believed extinct. It wasn't until more than 120 years later, in 1994 that Gilbert's Potoroo was discovered, still alive in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. Since then, a captive breeding population has been established in the same area, and another wild population has been established on nearby Bald Island. Currently, plans are underway to establish a third wild population at Waychinicup National Park.

The establishment of these distinct populations is crucial to increasing Gilbert's Potoroo's chances of survival. Threatened by wildfire (they live in dense, highly flammable vegetation that has remained unburnt for 50 or more years), introduced predators (feral foxes and cats), and changes to their habitat, their tiny population is at constant risk of extinction by a single catastrophic event. That is, a single wildfire could wipe out the majority of the population.

Research continues to learn more about the needs of Gilbert's Potoroo, as well as to help conservationists increase the breeding success of the captive population.

If you live in Western Australia, you can volunteer with the Gilbert's Potoroo Action Group, dedicated to preventing the extinction of it's namesake.

Learn more about Gilbert's Potoroo at Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation website.

Endangered Eating: Frog Legs

There's a great article by Corey Bradshaw, about the enormous number of frogs that are being consumed by humans around the world. With a low estimate of 180 million consumed annually, the upper limit may be far north of a billion.

With habitat loss, global warming, the chytrid crisis and all the other threats facing amphibians and frogs in particular, here's one more thing that's contributing to their decline.

I really encourage you to check out the original article.

Antelope or Sheep?

Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica), Critically Endangered

Saiga antelope have an extremely distinctive appearance with an enlarged nose that hangs down over the mouth like a mini-elephant trunk. Mature males have almost vertical orange-ish translucent horns that are ringed at the bottom. Despite their common name they are thought to be intermediates between antelope and sheep. Their coats are sparse and cinnamon-buff in the summer but become white and around 70 percent thicker in winter.

Currently, there are three populations of the subspecies S. t. tatarica in Kazakhstan - the Ural, Ust'-Urt and Betpakdala, and one population in the Pre-Caspian region (a European population). Some herds from one of the populations within Kazakhstan migrate to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan during the winter. Each of these populations is distinct and there is little intermingling of the populations.

Until the early 1960s there was also a population of Saiga tatarica in China. Two populations of the Mongolian saiga (S. t. mongolica) inhabit the northwest of Mongolia. Saiga within the former Soviet Union were the subject of concerted conservation programmes. The population at one point reached almost one million individuals.

Saigas typically inhabit open dry steppe and semi desert grasslands of Central Asia and Pre-Caspian region. They prefer open areas free from dense vegetation where they run quickly (up to 80 miles per hour) to avoid predators such as wolves and humans.

Management of the species has now broken down however and illegal poaching is rife. Saiga horns are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine as cures for illnesses such as strokes. Only the males of the species bear horns and poaching thus produces a population where there are far more females than males. The average life span of saiga is only around three to four years and if females do not mate every year the species can rapidly decline. They are on the CITES list and hunting is banned throughout the Saiga's range.

Maps and more information on the Saiga at EDGE - here.

Saiga also usually have one or (more commonly) two offspring at a go. I find Saiga terribly cute - adult or babies... they are - aren't they?!

Purple, but Ugly

Purple Frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), Endangered

The first ever video footage of the Purple Frog is now available, thanks to EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered).

Those who know me well, know that my favourite colour is purple. But the colour of this frog isn't enough to make me call it beautiful. Or even anything short of hideously ugly. This is one creature that truly deserves its place over at Endangered Ugly Things. The BBC recently said that it "looks more like a squat, grumpy blob than a living creature.”

It was discovered in 2003. It spends most of it's time underground, where it eats termites, and only comes to the surface for a few weeks during the monsoon season, to breed. It belongs to the first new frog family to be discovered since 1926, is thought to belong to an ancient lineage of frogs, placing it at #4 on the list of EDGE Amphibians.

Total population is unknown, though it's thought to be rare, as only 135 individuals have ever been observed. Confined to a few small pockets in India, its minimal habitat is threatened, as forests are cleared to make way for plantations of cardamom, coffee, ginger, and other spices.

You can help by learning more about the Purple Frog, or supporting EDGE in its mission of protecting unique and endangered species.

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

Kakapo (Strigops habroptila), Critically Endangered

According to Radio New Zealand, this year could be a lucky one. With a population of less than 100, the critically endangered Kakapo has been slowly increasing due to dedicated conservation efforts. This breeding season, the Kakapo Recovery Programme is hoping for forty chicks.

Previously on this blog, the importance of rimu fruit to Kakapo breeding was discussed, and it appears that a bumper crop may be in the works. Additionally, there are more fertile adult females, than there have been in years. If these factors come together, the Kakapo population could increase by nearly 50 percent. With so many chicks, some would be raised by their parents, instead of hand-reared by humans, as they sometimes are when chicks are rare.

The breeding season has started less than a month ago, with the first mating of the season occurring on Christmas night. Chicks are expected in late February.

Keep up to date by following the Kakapo Ranger Diaries.

Donate, Volunteer, or Get Involved.

Little Rhinos Offer a Little Hope

Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), Critically Endangered

The Javan Rhinoceros is believed to be the rarest large mammal in the world. With only 40-60 individuals still alive, scientists worry whether the population was large enough to recover. It once lived in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR. Today, it survives in two tiny isolated parks in Viet Nam and Indonesia. To really get an idea of its current and historic range, check out this excellent map from Wikipedia. Ujung Kulon National Park, on the western tip of Java has an estimated 50 individuals. Cat Tien National Park in Viet Nam has a mere 6 to 8, which may no longer be a viable population.

Some good news for these giants--scientists recently observed four young rhino calves and their parents in Ujung Kulon. According to the head of the park, the young rhinos were between 6 and 7 months and were in the company of their parents. This is a ray of light for the declining species and offers hope that they may be able to breed quickly enough to recover. Still they face difficult times, with the largest threat coming from poaching for traditional Chinese medicine. There are no Javan Rhinos in captivity to provide captive breeding or insurance populations.

How you can help:

Shop for rhino related products (t-shirts and such, not horns).

Join Crash! the Social Network for People who love Rhinos.

Donate to one of these Rhino Conservation organizations:

International Rhino Foundation, Save the Rhino

National Geographic Article

The January 2009 issue of National Geographic has a great article about the Endangered Species Act, by Verlyn Klinkenborg, along with beautiful photographs of endangered species by Joel Sartore.

Check it out here.