New Amphibian Captive Breeding Center Opens in Madagascar By Nirhy Rabibisoa & Justin Claude Rakotoarisoa
A
s local herpetologists we have witnessed the habitats of amphibians in Madagascar shrink due to pressure from forest clearing, bushfire, slash-and-burn farming, mining, oil exploration and road construction. More than 99 percent of Madagascar’s amphibians are found nowhere else on Earth, and according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one-quarter of these species are classified as threatened with extinction. Fortunately, there is now a critical resource to help the frogs fight back: a new amphibian captive breeding center. Led by the Mitsinjo Association, with support from Malagasy authorities, IUCN’s Amphibian Specialist Group and a range of other NGOs, construction of the captive breeding facility began in November, 2010 through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conservation Endowment Fund. During the past 15 months, staff training and husbandry research on local frog species has been conducted in collaboration with, and support from, Conservation International, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Woodland Park Zoo, Amphibian Ark, and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Heterixalus punctatus in Madagascar. (© Photo by Devin Edmonds)
Boophis pyrrhus, Heterixalus betsileo, Heterixalus punctatus, Blommersia blommersae, and Guibemantis sp. Until now, no one in Madagascar had the knowledge or capacity to breed these frogs in captivity. As a result, the Mitsinjo team will first focus on breeding common species that have similar habits and habitats to threatened species as husbandry skills are developed. Once these captive-breeding techniques have been mastered, the team will deal with the more threatened species. This captive breeding program also provides an opportunity to gather information on the life history of these frogs.
The Mitsinjo captive breeding facility was constructed in response to the growing threat of the chytrid fungus that has decimated am- There are many challenges to this kind of work. Besides the strict phibian populations worldwide. hygiene standards and the Although chytrid has not yet risk of disease transmission between the frogs, feeding been detected in Madagascar, seven of the country’s amphibthe frogs is an especially difian species are already desigficult skill to learn. Live food is nated as Critically Endangered, critical for the frogs’ survival, but it can be difficult to deterand therefore at high risk of extinction if disease outbreaks mine the precise quantity and should occur. The amphibnutritional balance that the ian center will establish captive animals need. This skill is, of populations of the most threatcourse, crucial for the success ened species as a reserve in case of the center. The team’s capthe fungus reaches the island. tive breeding specialist has so The Mitsinjo amphibian captive breeding facility in Andasibe, Madagascar. far trained six technicians to (© CI/Photo by Nirhy Rabibisoa) caring for live frogs. Amphibians provide many important services to humans, such as controlling insects that spread disease and damage crops, and helping to maintain healthy fresh- Although still in the early stages of this project; it is planned to water systems. In 2008, CI-Madagascar organized the develop- eventually develop educational programs that will showcase the ment of the Sahonagasy Action Plan (SAP), a national plan for am- value of Madagascar’s frogs and their habitats to local people, and phibian conservation. This plan emphasized the emerging threat generate money through ecotourism. posed by the chytrid fungus and the need to develop the capacity within Madagascar to detect and monitor the disease, and to devel- In the coming year, the team hopes to increase the number of speop in-country breeding facilities for disease-free frog populations. cies bred at the facility — bringing us all a step closer to safeguardCaptive breeding will also help to combat the combined action of ing the future of these fascinating creatures. habitat destruction, illegal and unsustainable collection for the inAuthor detials: Nirhy Rabibisoa is the Executive Secretary for ternational pet trade, and the impacts of climate change. the ASG, Madagascar. Justin Claude is the technician lead at the Mitsinjo Captive breeding Center (email: babakotokely@gmail. The facility currently houses about 33 frogs representing six spe- com). cies from the Andasibe region, namely: Mantidactylus betsileanus, FrogLog Vol. 100 | January 2012 | 15