Over 25 Years of Partnering to Conserve Chiricahua Leopard Frogs (Rana chiricahuensis) in Arizona, Combining Ex Situ and In Situ Strategies

The Phoenix Zoo has partnered with US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, US Forest Service, and other organizations for more than 25 years to help recover Chiricahua leopard frogs (Rana [=Lithobates] chiricahuensis) in Arizona, USA. This federally threatened species faces d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of zoological and botanical gardens 2022-12, Vol.3 (4), p.532-544
Main Authors: Harris, Tara R., Heuring, Whitney L., Allard, Ruth A., Owens, Audrey K., Hedwall, Shaula, Crawford, Cat, Akins, Christina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
amphibian
Aquariums
Collaboration
conservation partnerships
Drought
Endangered & extinct species
Environmental protection
Frogs
Habitats
head-starting
Introduced species
Invasive species
Native species
Population decline
Rana chiricahuensis
reintroduction
release
Threatened species
translocation
Wildlife conservation
Zoos
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Summary:The Phoenix Zoo has partnered with US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, US Forest Service, and other organizations for more than 25 years to help recover Chiricahua leopard frogs (Rana [=Lithobates] chiricahuensis) in Arizona, USA. This federally threatened species faces declines due to habitat loss and degradation, long-term drought, disease, and invasive species. Over 26,000 larvae, froglets, and adults, as well as 26 egg masses produced by adults held at the Phoenix Zoo have been released to the wild, augmenting and/or re-establishing wild populations. Chiricahua leopard frog-occupied sites in Arizona have increased from 38 in 2007, when the species’ recovery plan was published, to a high of 155 in the last five years, as a result of ex situ and in situ conservation efforts. As one of the longest-running programs of its kind in the United States, communication among partners has been key to sustaining it. Recovery strategies and complex decisions are made as a team and we have worked through numerous management challenges together. Though Chiricahua leopard frogs still face significant threats and a long road to recovery, this program serves as a strong example of the positive effects of conservation partnerships for native wildlife.
ISSN:2673-5636
2673-5636
DOI:10.3390/jzbg3040039