Frog conservation has become a critical issue due to the decline of many species and the potential for extinction.
There are various approaches to conservation, including habitat restoration, captive breeding programs, and legislation. One of the most effective methods is through captive breeding programs, which are designed to reduce the exploitation of wild populations.
Organizations that focus on captive breeding programs aim to breed frogs in captivity and reintroduce them into the wild. This approach has proven to be effective in saving species that are threatened or endangered. One of the benefits of captive breeding is that it reduces the need for wild caught animals in the pet trade industry. By providing captive-bred animals as an alternative, it can reduce the pressure on wild populations.
Captive breeding programs also provide an opportunity to study the biology and behavior of the species being bred, which can aid in their conservation. Additionally, captive breeding programs can serve as a safety net for species that are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss or other factors.
This article will focus on Tesoros de Colombia, but there are several other organizations worth looking into if you want to get involved in conservation.
Amphibian Ark: This organization works to conserve amphibian species by establishing assurance colonies in captivity to safeguard against extinction in the wild. They also work to reintroduce captive-bred individuals back into their native habitats.
Save The Frogs: This organization works to protect amphibian populations and their habitats through a variety of methods, including captive breeding and release programs. They also provide education and resources to help individuals and communities take action to protect frogs and other amphibians.
Dendrobatiidae Conservation: This organization focuses specifically on the conservation of poison dart frogs through captive breeding and habitat restoration efforts. They also work with local communities to raise awareness about the importance of protecting these species.
Frog Conservation Society: This organization works to protect and conserve amphibian populations through captive breeding programs and habitat restoration projects. They also conduct research to better understand the threats facing frogs and other amphibians.
The Orianne Society: This organization works to protect and conserve a variety of threatened and endangered species, including many species of amphibians. They use a variety of approaches, including captive breeding and release programs, to help restore populations of these species in the wild.
The Center for Biological Diversity: This organization works to protect endangered species and their habitats through a variety of conservation efforts. They also advocate for stronger protections for amphibians and other species through policy and legal action.
The Amphibian Foundation: This organization works to conserve amphibian populations through a variety of methods, including captive breeding, research, and education. They also work to protect amphibian habitats and raise awareness about the importance of conserving these species.
The IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group: This group is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and works to promote the conservation of amphibian species worldwide. They focus on a variety of issues, including captive breeding and habitat restoration.
The Rainforest Trust: This organization works to protect rainforest habitats around the world, which are critical habitats for many amphibian species. They use a variety of approaches to protect these habitats, including land purchase and protection, and working with local communities to promote sustainable land use practices.
The Amphibian Survival Alliance: This organization works to protect and conserve amphibian populations through a variety of methods, including captive breeding, habitat restoration, and policy advocacy. They also provide education and resources to help individuals and communities take action to protect amphibians.
Saving Colombia's frogs through community-based conservation
Tesoros de Colombia is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Colombian amphibians on the brink of extinction.
The organization’s mission is to protect the unique biodiversity of Colombia’s tropical rainforests, and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources through education, research, and conservation initiatives. One of the primary objectives of Tesoros de Colombia is to reduce the impact of the pet trade on wild frog populations by promoting captive breeding programs.
The organization has been praised by several experts in the field of amphibian conservation. Dr. Karen Lips, a renowned amphibian conservationist and professor at the University of Maryland, has described Tesoros de Colombia as “an amazing organization that is doing incredibly important work.” Dr. Juan Manuel Renjifo, former director of the Humboldt Institute, has praised the organization for its “critical contribution to the conservation of the unique and threatened amphibians of Colombia.”
Tesoros de Colombia’s efforts have included the establishment of a captive breeding program for Pristimantis species, which has successfully bred and released numerous frogs into the wild. The organization has also conducted field surveys and research to better understand the biology and ecology of these species, and to identify threats to their survival.
One quote from Tesoros de Colombia’s website highlights the importance of their work: “With the extinction of any species, we lose a piece of the puzzle that helps us understand our world. We must do everything in our power to preserve this biodiversity, so that future generations can continue to learn from and appreciate the natural world.”
Overall, Tesoros de Colombia’s work represents a vital contribution to the conservation of Colombian amphibians, and serves as an example of how captive breeding programs can be used to reduce the impact of the pet trade on wild populations.
People can get involved in supporting Tesoros de Colombia’s conservation efforts by purchasing frogs or coffee from their coffee growers program. They have a wide range of captive-bred frog species available for purchase, including some highly threatened species such as Oophaga sylvatica Koi. By purchasing captive-bred frogs, people can reduce the demand for wild-caught specimens, which helps to conserve wild populations.
Additionally, Tesoros de Colombia has a coffee growers program, which allows people to purchase coffee from farmers who are committed to sustainable and eco-friendly practices. The coffee is shade-grown and bird-friendly, which helps to support the habitat of many bird and frog species. By purchasing coffee through this program, people can support both sustainable farming practices and conservation efforts in Colombia.
People can also support Tesoros de Colombia’s conservation efforts by making donations or volunteering their time. They frequently hold events and workshops that allow people to learn more about their work and get involved in hands-on activities.
Buying frogs from Tesoros de Colombia benefits both frog conservation efforts and the local communities involved in the project. Tesoros de Colombia uses the funds generated from frog sales to support their captive breeding program, which aims to reduce the demand for wild-caught frogs and ultimately protect wild populations. By purchasing captive-bred frogs from Tesoros, individuals can contribute to this conservation effort while also obtaining healthy, genetically diverse animals for their own collections. Additionally, Tesoros de Colombia’s frog breeding program provides employment and training opportunities for local people, which helps to support sustainable economic development in the region. Overall, buying frogs from Tesoros de Colombia is a way to support conservation and help local communities while also obtaining high-quality captive-bred frogs.
An Article entitled Colombian scientists and environmental organizations successfully save endangered Oophaga lehmanni frog from extinction
After years of investigations and experiments, an alliance of Colombian scientists and environmental organizations have successfully saved the Oophaga lehmanni frog from extinction. The frog was at risk of extinction due to illegal wildlife trafficking. The scientists were able to reproduce 29 specimens of the frog and release them in the Colombian Pacific region to repopulate the species.
According to Carlos Galvis, Chief Population Biologist of the Zoological Foundation of Cali, the Oophaga lehmanni is a complex species in terms of management, reproduction, and care. Standardizing its management and achieving successful reproduction has generated individuals that are currently being released, he says.
The frogs will be monitored to see how they adapt to their ecosystem, which is theirs, but a constant monitoring will be maintained. The goal is to have more little frogs and tell the world that they are not in danger of extinction, says Marco Antonio Suarez, Director General of the Autonomous Corporation of Valle del Cauca (CVC).
Colombia is home to 734 frog species, the second most in the world after Brazil. According to the Humboldt Institute, at least 160 amphibian species in Colombia are critically endangered.
The illegal trade of wildlife is a global problem that threatens the survival of countless animal species. Colombia, a country known for its rich biodiversity, is unfortunately also one of the world’s largest illegal exporters of amphibians. However, the Treasures of Colombia initiative, spearheaded by zootechnician Iván Lozano, aims to combat wildlife trafficking and save endangered species by breeding wild animals in captivity or semi-captivity for commercial, scientific, or repopulation purposes.
The Tesoros de Colombia initiative began in 1998 when Iván Lozano received a call from the police to go urgently to a collection center for confiscated animals that had retained two suspicious boxes bound for Europe. Inside them were about 400 dart frogs, some of the most poisonous. More than half of the amphibians seized belonged to the Lehmann variety, of which there were barely less than 40,000 left in the world at that time. Today, there are less than 5,000.
The objective of the Treasures of Colombia initiative is two fold: to commercialize species abroad, guaranteeing their well-being and competing with the mafias that illegally traffic them, and to increase the population of specimens at risk of disappearing. The ideal would be to end the lawsuit, but that requires an environmental education of generations, and meanwhile, the species is on the verge of extinction. The traffickers are still looking for a way to get them to the United States or Europe in any way.
Colombia is the second country with the highest richness of amphibians, with 791 species currently reported, but it is also the first illegal exporter of them. Wildlife trafficking is the third most valued business in the world, generating about 25,000 million dollars a year, according to UN estimates. The most threatened are the Neotropical poison dart frogs. According to a study carried out by researcher Mileidy Betancourth-Cundar, more than 80,000 specimens were taken from their habitats in the last four decades.
The Tesoros de Colombia initiative uses three laboratories located among the mountains of Cota, a Colombian municipality located in the center of the country, to breed endangered species in captivity or semi-captivity. Each terrarium emulates the ecosystem of these colorful and precious wild jewels, including damp leaf litter, endemic vegetation, several levels for them to climb, stones in a container with water, larvae and mosquitoes, a tube where they can lay their eggs, and specific lighting and humidity. The process was not easy, mainly because there is no pioneering project, and because the reproduction of some of the varieties of frogs is extremely complex.
The Tesoros de Colombia initiative is an innovative approach to combat wildlife trafficking and save endangered species. While the project faced numerous obstacles, it has succeeded in breeding endangered species in captivity or semi-captivity and competing with illegal traffickers in the international market. The initiative represents a positive step forward in the fight to preserve biodiversity and protect vulnerable animal species.
Source: https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/que-mueve-a/2022-03-12/el-zootecnista-que-rompio-con-el-trafico-de-ranas-venenosas.html