Posts Tagged ‘amphibians’

Jun
07

Fun at the Texas Amphibian Watch Workshop at the Houston Zoo

Posted by in amphibians,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas

Texas Toad

 Amphibians are small but mighty.  They have been called the birds of night, which anyone that has been outside by a pond at night can understand.  Their vocalizations often fill the night air.  Frogs and toads work diligantly to keep insects in check and are vital to the survival of many other species. But besides that these little creatures are full of character, they come in many shapes, colors and sizes.  Their distinct calls allow us to connect with them without even seeing them.

Coastal Plains Toad

Last Friday,  the Houston zoo hosted a Texas Amphibian Watch family workshop.  It was designed to help familiarize  participants with local amphibians.   Fun was had by all!  During a lesson on frog calls the Zoo’s auditorium was filled with beautiful froggy singing voices as all of the participants mimiced frog vocalizations in an effort to thouroughly learn them. Everyone got to hike through the wilds of Herman park to listen and watch for our slippery little friends.

Woodhouse Toad

 

This program offered everyone the opportunity to help conserve amphibians in Texas by learning how to collect information about local frogs and toads for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.   Participants were very excited to become scientists in their own back yard!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Apr
01

Houston Toad surveys have begun

Posted by in amphibians,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas

Houston Toads

Conservation staff spring surveys have begun for the detection of calling Houston toads (endangered endemic) in Austin and Colorado county.  We currently have 3,000 Houston toads in the quarantine facility at the Zoo. That is more than the entire known population in the wild. We have released close to 30,000 toads, toadlets and late stage tadpoles in the last 3 years of head starting.  To learn more about Houston toads go here .

Tags: , , , , ,
Sep
22

The Houston Zoo Wins Top Honors For Amphibian Conservation at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conference

Posted by in amphibians,Endangered Species,Field Research

The Houston Zoo, with assistance from several other zoos and institutions, has built an amphibian oasis, called the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC), in Panama. At EVACC, we rescue and treat wild amphibians affected by a fungal disease known as chytrid. We are ensuring the survival of their species by safely breeding them in captivity with the ultimate goal to release their offspring back to the cloud forests and streams of Panama once scientists can figure out how to protect them from the fungus.

At EVACC, we have also constructed an exhibit area where the people of Panama can observe the unique amphibians of their country. Sadly, many of these amphibians have already gone extinct in the wild and are the last of their kind in the country.

Last week the Houston Zoo won Top Honors in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums International Conservation Award category for our amphibian conservation efforts in Panama.

 For more information, or to support our efforts in Panama, go to http://www.houstonzoo.org/amphibians/

Tags: , , ,
Jul
27

Kids Get to be Biologists and Track Toads

Posted by in amphibians,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas,What You Can Do

   

When I was a kid I always knew that I wanted to work with animals. I used to tell everyone I’d be a marine biologist.  I didn’t really know what that meant at the time, but I knew they got to work closely with whales and dolphins.  I had every pet my parents would allow and asked to go to every aquarium and zoo that I could find, just to get close to animals.  As I got older I started to question what I could realistically do with this desire. Anyone that got to work with them in the field or in captivity were like celebrities.  I don’t think I ever thought of it as a job — it was more like a dream.  The only animal related career that I was really exposed to was a veterinarian.  And when I decided against that, it was difficult to visualize what I could do. I was very fortunate to meet the curator of a small zoo that took me under his wing and brought me into the wonderful world of zoo keeping.  But I have been very aware that not everyone gets this type of opportunity.
I am so excited for this generation of animal lovers in Houston.  The Houston Zoo offers so much to get kids involved and connected to the animal world.  It would have been a dream come true to be a part of the zoo camps and internships they offer here!
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to assist with a new, unique, interactive conservation education program called Toad Trackers.  It was developed by my very talented coworker, Rachel Rommel, and allows kids to connect with the world of research and animal science.   

Rachel with students

  

 The Toad Tracker students are introduced to the same equipment field biologists use in their research and are exposed to some of the methods used in the scientific study of animal populations.  I got to assist with the evening class where the students get to actively search for a common toad species on Zoo grounds: the Gulf Coast Toad.  When it came to listening for the toads, the kids were very serious and quiet.  I was so impressed with their level of concentration, and how well they were able to control their excitement and really focus on the task at hand.  When a toad was found, they remembered exactly what they were taught in the classroom about approaching and handling it.  The students were then carefully guided through weighing and measuring each individual, determining its’ gender, and recording its’ GPS coordinates, citing exactly where it was found.  The kids then got to observe as Paul Crump (the Houston Zoo’s Amphibian Conservation Programs Manager) pit tag each toad, which is similar to the microchip in your cat or dog.  They were very intrigued by this process.     

Students measuring toad

 Over time, the locating and tagging of these toads will provide valuable information on their growth rates, reproductive events, and movement patterns on zoo grounds.  As important as this data is, more importantly, this program is inspiring local kids and leaving them hungry for more.   I really felt the gratitude of the kids involved in this program; their intrigue was tangible!  Rachel  is creating a whole army of amphibian advocates and future biologists through Toad Trackers.
      

  

To learn more about this program check out the Houston zoo Toad Tracker website and join the Toad Trackers group on Facebook.

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Jun
11

Free Endangered Species Ringtones

Posted by in amphibians,Endangered Species,Texas

Houston Toad

The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity offers free ringtones of rare and endangered animals. Download their haunting hoots, sensational songs and crazy croaks to your cell phone. Available are calls of the blue-throated Macaw, Beluga Whale, Boreal Owl, Mountain Yellow-legged Frog, Houston Toad, or any one of over forty other endangered critters. 

Rareearthtones.org was designed by the Center for Biological Diversity, a non-profit group with over 30,000 members that has been working to protect endangered species and wild places since 1989.

“The goal is to get people talking about and learning more about endangered species. Some of the sounds are so unusual that when people hear the phones ring, they’re bound to ask, ‘What is that?’ That’s what we want.” says Peter Gavin, conservation director for the center.

Tags: , ,
May
29

Dinosaurs! at the Houston Zoo

Posted by in amphibians,Endangered Species,Featured,Field Research,What You Can Do

Visit our Dinosaurs! exhibit all summer long at the Houston Zoo.

We are opening a seasonal Dinosaur exhibit this weekend here at the zoo. Many millions of years ago (before 1960 for you kids out there), dinosaurs were the predominat species here on Planet Earth. But, alas, they have all gone extinct. Thankfully, millions of people are still fascinated with them and we get our basic dino education from Natural History Museums and Discover Channel shows. You can learn about Dinosaurs and get an up close view of what they may have looked like; from the mighty T-Rex and plated Stegosaurus to the massive Brachiosaurus and horned Triceratops and others.

The dinosaurs were part of what is know as the fifth mass extinction – a mass extinction is when there is a sharp decrease in the diversity (animal and plant species) in a geologically short period of time. 65 millions years ago there was a mass extinction called the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event. It is believed this was caused by a mass meteorite event and ended reptilian dominance (i.e., dinosaurs) on Earth.

It is believed we are now in the stage of the 6th Mass Extinction event and amphibian losses are part of the crisis – some notes from our conservation team:

Did you know we are facing the next great mass extinction?
Sadly, it is estimated that half of the planet’s amphibian species are threatened with extinction.

These amphibians have seen the dinosaurs come and go, but millions of years on this planet are still no match for pollution, habitat loss, the pet trade, and disease.

Amphibians hold the answers to future biomedicines, they control the insect population, and they are an important food source for many other animals on the planet and yet many of them will not survive.

The Houston Zoo is helping to restore the Houston toad here in the Lone Star State, a native toad in which only 200-300 animals are left in the wild.

In Panama, we have rescued a number of species from the spread of a deadly disease that is wiping out amphibians all over the world. Many of the species, some now extinct in the wild, will live and breed only in captivity until scientists can find a cure for this disease.

Every time you visit the Houston Zoo, a portion of your ticket sale or membership goes back to fund the important work we are doing to help amphibians in the wild. Thank you!

For more information about our amphibian projects visit http://www.houstonzoo.org/conservation/

Tags: , , , , ,
May
15

You and toads. A match made in heaven.

Posted by in amphibians,Animal Origins & Fun Facts

toadsThey have big googly eyes. They are warty. They kind of resemble Jabba the Hut and they reside under ground for a good part of the year. I know that for most of you (with the exception of 6 year old little boys), they really give you the Icks. Yes, I am speaking of toads, ladies and gentlemen.

 

The fact of the matter is that even if toads give you the willies, they are important. To you and the planet. What’s not to love about a toad anyways?

 

They both eat, and are eaten. They play an important role in the food web as both predator and prey, maintaining the delicate balance of nature.

 

If we didn’t have amphibians, you could be paying $5 for an apple. Amphibians eat pest insects, benefiting successful agriculture around the world and minimizing the spread of diseases, including Malaria and West Nile Virus.

The skin of amphibians has substances that protect them from some microbes and viruses, offering possible medical cures for a variety of human diseases, including AIDS.

 

 

Biologists refer to amphibians as “the canary in the coal mine”.They are among the first species to be affected by environmental stressors; so when they show declines in the wild, it serves as a warning to other species, including humans.

 

Frogs have had a special place in various human cultures for centuries, cherished as agents of life and good luck.

 

The Houston Zoo is involved in 2 primary amphibian conservation projects, Houston toads and Panamanian Amphibians.

 

Photo courtesy of Rachel Rommel

Tags: , , ,