MOUNTAIN CHICKEN FROG
The mountain chicken are one of the worlds largest living species of frogs with females measuring up to 21 centimeters. They are named for the taste of their meat. The breeding season begins by the end of the dry season but unlike other amphibians that breed in water, this species breeds in underground burrows. Males have dark spurs on their thumbs to grasp on the female during the mating embrace. Females are known to be very maternal producing unfertile eggs to feed their young.
They are ambush predators and have a varied diet eating anything it can swallow. They are well camouflaged and hunt its prey at night eating millipedes, insects, crustaceans, and small vertebrates.
They are found in a variety of wetland habitats near streams and springs and once were spread out on many eastern Caribbean islands but now restricted to the western side of Dominica and the Central Hills of northern Montserrat.
Since 1995, there was an 80% decline mainly from over hunting, disease, natural disasters, and habitat loss. Around 8,000 to 36,000 frogs were taken for the annual harvest. Their habitat are being converted to agriculture, tourist and human settlements and on Montserrat are threatened by volcanic eruptions. Introduced cats, dogs, pigs, rats, and opossums wreck havoc on the population. They are also threatened by the fatal chytridiomycosis disease which was introduced in Dominica.
Hunting was banned in the late 1990s but wasn't prohibited until 2003. Public awareness programs were implemented to inform the Dominican locals. On July 1999, following volcanic eruptions in Montserrat, the Durrel Wildlife Trust took 6 males and 3 females to the Jersey Zoo in a captive breeding program. In 2009, chytrid fungus was discovered in Montserrat where 50 frogs were taken away immediately and into a bio secure breeding program. Captive populations were successfully reintroduced in the wild in 2010 and 2011. In Dominica, a breeding facility was built and equipped with the ability to analyze frog skins for signs of the chytrid fungus.
They are ambush predators and have a varied diet eating anything it can swallow. They are well camouflaged and hunt its prey at night eating millipedes, insects, crustaceans, and small vertebrates.
They are found in a variety of wetland habitats near streams and springs and once were spread out on many eastern Caribbean islands but now restricted to the western side of Dominica and the Central Hills of northern Montserrat.
Since 1995, there was an 80% decline mainly from over hunting, disease, natural disasters, and habitat loss. Around 8,000 to 36,000 frogs were taken for the annual harvest. Their habitat are being converted to agriculture, tourist and human settlements and on Montserrat are threatened by volcanic eruptions. Introduced cats, dogs, pigs, rats, and opossums wreck havoc on the population. They are also threatened by the fatal chytridiomycosis disease which was introduced in Dominica.
Hunting was banned in the late 1990s but wasn't prohibited until 2003. Public awareness programs were implemented to inform the Dominican locals. On July 1999, following volcanic eruptions in Montserrat, the Durrel Wildlife Trust took 6 males and 3 females to the Jersey Zoo in a captive breeding program. In 2009, chytrid fungus was discovered in Montserrat where 50 frogs were taken away immediately and into a bio secure breeding program. Captive populations were successfully reintroduced in the wild in 2010 and 2011. In Dominica, a breeding facility was built and equipped with the ability to analyze frog skins for signs of the chytrid fungus.
CHINESE GIANT SALAMANDER
The species are the worlds largest, aquatic salamanders measuring up to 1.8 meters. They lacked gills so they have porous skin to aid in respiration. They occupied underwater cavities in flowing streams and lakes of China. The salamanders are found at elevations below 1,500 meters in the Pearl, Yellow, Yangtze river tributaries.
They are normally nocturnal relying on smell and touch to feel its way around and to search for prey including small salamanders, worms, insects, crayfish, and snails. Mating season takes place from late August to September where males occupied breeding cavities and many died from aggressively fighting off intruders. 400-500 eggs are laid in the cavity. They are long lived with one individual living for 52 years in captivity.
Salamanders are hunted for their meat as they're an Asian delicacy. They are threatened by habitat change and loss where deforestation caused a runoff of silting in the rivers. Dam development changed the natural flow of rivers affecting the population and pesticides, fertilizers, and pollutants are thought to affect their health.
They're protected from international trade. Since the 1980s, 14 nature reserves totaling 355,000 hectares were established including Mount Wuyi measuring 99,975 hectares which in 1999, was made a World Heritage Site to protect its biodiversity. But there are concerns that development and tourism plans around the reserve might put pressure on the population.
They are normally nocturnal relying on smell and touch to feel its way around and to search for prey including small salamanders, worms, insects, crayfish, and snails. Mating season takes place from late August to September where males occupied breeding cavities and many died from aggressively fighting off intruders. 400-500 eggs are laid in the cavity. They are long lived with one individual living for 52 years in captivity.
Salamanders are hunted for their meat as they're an Asian delicacy. They are threatened by habitat change and loss where deforestation caused a runoff of silting in the rivers. Dam development changed the natural flow of rivers affecting the population and pesticides, fertilizers, and pollutants are thought to affect their health.
They're protected from international trade. Since the 1980s, 14 nature reserves totaling 355,000 hectares were established including Mount Wuyi measuring 99,975 hectares which in 1999, was made a World Heritage Site to protect its biodiversity. But there are concerns that development and tourism plans around the reserve might put pressure on the population.
PANAMANIAN GOLDEN FROG
They are a species of true toads that lives in high elevation cloud and rainforests near freshwater streams of Panama. They preyed on a wide variety of insects near their territory.
Males are highly territorial guarding their rock from unwelcome intruders. From November to December during the rainy season, mating season occurs with males attracting the females which are twice as big as them with their vocal calls. Females lay large clutches of eggs which can reach up to 900 eggs. When the tadpoles hatched, they have to fend for themselves and many died before reaching adulthood.
The toads began disappearing in the late 1990s from the fatal chytrid disease prompting a scientific investigation and a rescuing program that still continues today. They were last filmed for a BBC Natural History Unit documentary series, Life in Cold Blood in 2006. The remaining individuals were taken into captivity.
The San Diego Zoo received the specimens in 2003 and since then, have successfully breed 500 individuals but will not reintroduce them in the wild until the disease is under control. Project Golden Frog is a conservation project that is coordinated between the United States and the Republic of Panama which creates educational and conservation programs to help preserve the toads.
In 2004, the Amphibian Recovery Conservation Coalition exported the toads to the US believing it is a better environment for them. In 2005, the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center was created by the Houston Zoo and established in Panama so the toads can live in protected facilities in their natural home.
Males are highly territorial guarding their rock from unwelcome intruders. From November to December during the rainy season, mating season occurs with males attracting the females which are twice as big as them with their vocal calls. Females lay large clutches of eggs which can reach up to 900 eggs. When the tadpoles hatched, they have to fend for themselves and many died before reaching adulthood.
The toads began disappearing in the late 1990s from the fatal chytrid disease prompting a scientific investigation and a rescuing program that still continues today. They were last filmed for a BBC Natural History Unit documentary series, Life in Cold Blood in 2006. The remaining individuals were taken into captivity.
The San Diego Zoo received the specimens in 2003 and since then, have successfully breed 500 individuals but will not reintroduce them in the wild until the disease is under control. Project Golden Frog is a conservation project that is coordinated between the United States and the Republic of Panama which creates educational and conservation programs to help preserve the toads.
In 2004, the Amphibian Recovery Conservation Coalition exported the toads to the US believing it is a better environment for them. In 2005, the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center was created by the Houston Zoo and established in Panama so the toads can live in protected facilities in their natural home.