Evaluating the probability of avoiding disease‐related extinctions of Panamanian amphibians through captive breeding programs

Abstract

Amphibians around the world are declining from threats that cannot currently be mitigated, making it impossible to safeguard some species in their natural habitats. Amphibians in the mountainous neotropics are one example where severe diseaserelated declines prompted calls for the establishment of captive assurance colonies to avoid extinctions. We surveyed experts in Panamanian amphibians to determine the probability of avoiding chytridiomycosis-related extinctions using captive breeding programs. We ranked Panamanian amphibian species by perceived susceptibility to chytridiomycosis, then calculated the likelihood of avoiding extinction as the product of three probabilities, which include (1) finding sufficient founder animals, (2) successfully breeding these species in captivity and (3) becoming extinct in the wild. The likelihood of finding enough animals to create a captive founding population was low for many rare species, especially for salamanders and caecilians. It was also low for frogs which were once regularly encountered, but have already disappeared including Atelopus chiriquiensis, Craugastor emcelae, C. obesus, C. punctariolus, C. rhyacobatrachus, Ecnomiohyla rabborum, Isthmohyla calypsa and Oophaga speciosa. Our results indicate that captive breeding could improve the odds of avoiding extinction for species that have severely declined or are likely to decline due to chytridiomycosis including Atelopus certus, A.

Phylogenetic investigation of skin sloughing rates in frogs: relationships with skin characteristics and disease-driven declines

“…In order to create the first database of amphibian skin structure and function, we used a recently developed non-invasive method to analyse sloughing rates in captive amphibians [31], focusing on anurans. The number of amphibian species in captivity for conservation reasons continues to grow as species at risk of extinction are collected for captive breeding programmes [32,33]. In addition to their direct purpose, these programmes are an excellent resource for better understanding the biology and ecology of these species, via remote monitoring with infrared cameras.…”

The effect of captivity on the skin microbial symbionts in threeAtelopusspecies from the lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador

“…A cure or mechanism that allows threatened amphibian species to survive chytridiomycosis in their natural habitats is still needed. Although many different disease mitigation strategies have been proposed ( Woodhams et al, 2011 ; Bosch et al, 2015 ), keeping viable assurance colonies in captivity seems to be the best option for Bd -susceptible species yet ( Gratwicke et al, 2015 ). The main goal of ex situ programs is to eventually reintroduce animals to their natural habitats.…”

Conservation decisions under pressure: Lessons from an exercise in rapid response to wildlife disease

“…However, these general plans and frameworks remain to be tested and a true emergency response has rarely been implemented for a wildlife disease (Mysterud & Rolandsen, ). For chytridiomycosis, several Panamanian species were brought into captivity ahead of the expected wave of Bd invasion (Gratwicke et al, ). Yet even this action did not seek to actively respond to the pathogen's arrival, instead aiming to mitigate its long‐term impacts through development of assurance colonies and reintroductions.…”