Tag Archives: Bezos Earth Fund

Giving Tadpoles a Fighting Chance: A Novel Approach to Saving the Lemur Leaf Frog

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When conservationists prepare to release endangered species back into the wild, they face a critical question: how do we give them the best chance at survival? For the lemur leaf frog (Agalychnis lemur), a species that has vanished from most known sites across its range, researchers are literally thinking outside the box.

Rather than releasing adult frogs directly into Panama’s forests, our research team took an innovative approach: introducing tadpoles bred in human care into large soft-release containers in the wild. Half of the containers were treated with antifungals to see if protecting animals at this critical stage can help frog survival.  This early intervention targets one of amphibians’ most devastating threats—the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)—at a vulnerable life stage, potentially offering protection as the tadpoles metamorphose into adult frogs.

Agalychnis lemur breeds in slow-flowing swampy conditions. The species has experienced dramatic chytridiomycosis-related declines and has disappeared from most known sites, including a formerly occupied location in Altos de Campana National Park. While the species is breeding well in captivity and showing signs of recovery at a few sites in Costa Rica and Panama, these release trials could inform recovery efforts at many sites where this species has disappeared.

Previous research has shown promising results with fungicide treatments in artificial pond environments. Studies found that commonly used agricultural fungicides can reduce or eliminate Bd infections in susceptible tadpoles, with the fungicide degrading quickly and causing no significant harm to pond ecosystems or invertebrate communities.

This lemur leaf frog project brings together expertise from multiple institutions, including Gonçalo Rosa from IMIB Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC) and ZSL, along with partners from the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and Zoo New England. By creating artificial breeding points that can be safely treated with antifungal agents to reduce pathogen loads, the team is developing a replicable model that could help other endangered amphibian species facing similar threats.

The experiment is now underway, and researchers are monitoring whether this early antifungal protection helps the tadpoles survive disease once they complete metamorphosis. The results could inform future amphibian reintroduction programs worldwide, offering a practical tool in the fight against one of the most destructive wildlife diseases on the planet.

This research represents a collaborative effort to develop evidence-based conservation strategies for critically endangered amphibians in the face of emerging infectious diseases called the Tropical Amphibian Resilience Initiative funded by the Bezos Earth Fund and other donors to the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project.  

Restoring Nature’s Soundscape

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In the lush forests of Panama, a small rocket frog called Pratt’s rocket frog (Colostethus pratti) once filled the air with its distinctive calls. Then, a deadly fungal disease called chytridiomycosis swept through, decimating amphibian populations across Central America. In places like Altos de Campana National Park, where these frogs were once common, they vanished completely.

Pratt's rocket frog Colostethus pratti

During our acoustic monitoring research, we discovered that some C. pratti populations were bouncing back, even with the fungal pathogen still present. This suggested the frogs may have evolved resistance to the disease that nearly wiped them out. In Panama, we often find frogs that declined from the pathogen either recovering or persisting at low levels. But the fact that they declined to extinction in one national park while recovering elsewhere offered a unique opportunity: a human-assisted recovery of wild rocket frogs through translocation. In the United States, mountain yellow-legged frogs have recovered using this approach, and we hoped to replicate this success in Panama.

Twelve breeding pairs were collected from the recovering population at Bajo Bonito and brought to a quarantine facility, where they were tested for the fungus and treated preventatively. Male-female pairs then spent two weeks acclimating in mesh enclosures filled with leaf litter at the release site. Previous trials had shown that frogs released directly into new habitats dispersed rapidly and suffered higher mortality rates. This gentler approach gave them time to adjust before venturing into their new home.

The team is using acoustic monitoring technology—an array of automated recorders listening for the frogs’ loud, distinctive calls—to track the population over time. This cost-effective method will reveal whether the frogs survived and dispersed. For now, the forests of Altos de Campana have restored a missing voice to the soundscape—a small but significant victory in the fight to preserve the planet’s embattled amphibians. It’s still too early to evaluate whether the population will persist, but watch this space for updates!

Bezos Earth Fund, Smithsonian Institution and the Amphibian Survival Alliance Join Forces to Save Endangered Frogs in Latin America

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In recent decades, habitat loss, environmental change, and a deadly chytrid fungus has decimated amphibian species around the world. Thanks to a new $2 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the Smithsonian National Zoological Park Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), in partnership with the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA), launched a transformative five-year project spanning Panamá, Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia: The Tropical Amphibian Resilience Initiative (TARI). This initiative represents an unprecedented opportunity to address amphibian conservation across Latin America.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity for amphibian conservation,” stated ASA’s Executive Director Gina Della Togna. “For the first time, we are launching a coordinated international effort to halt amphibian extinctions in the Neotropics, a region that harbors 48% of the world’s amphibian biodiversity. It’s a powerful testament to what collaboration and joining forces can achieve for endangered species, and a sobering reminder of how much help amphibians need.”

Geminis' dart frog, a critically endangered species being bred in captivity.

The grant empowers collaborations among international partners, including the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, a conservation partnership between the Smithsonian, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Zoo New England. The coalition is building safety-net populations of frog species at risk of extinction from the deadly fungus.

The Amphibian Survival Alliance, the world’s largest global partnership dedicated to the conservation of amphibians and their habitats, rallies collaborators from high amphibian biodiversity landscapes, including Parque Explora (Colombia), FUDECI (Venezuela), and Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios (Ecuador), to deliver regional impact and coordinate on-the-ground conservation actions in key amphibian biodiversity hotspots.

The Bezos donation catalyzes conservation by targeting landscapes with the highest amphibian biodiversity on Earth. This initiative will serve as a model for regional collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ensuring a lasting impact on amphibian populations and their habitats. 

Brian Gratwicke PARC coordinator, Roberto Ibáñez the Director of PARC and Oliver Granucci research intern working in the field.

“Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates on the planet, yet they receive far less attention than other at-risk species,” said Dr. Cristián Samper, Managing Director and Leader for Nature Solutions at the Bezos Earth Fund. “This partnership between the Bezos Earth Fund and the Smithsonian is about turning the tide, combining cutting-edge science with urgent action to save these species from extinction. By investing in regional collaboration, we are laying the foundation for amphibian conservation that will have a lasting impact.”

The international team of scientists are pioneering new methods to recover amphibian populations affected by fungal diseases and other major threats, rewild native frogs raised in captivity, and identify habitats critical for amphibian conservation. 

The project strengthens captive breeding programs for 25 of the region’s most endangered species, with a goal of boosting captive populations by 15% over five years. It also expands conservation expertise across Latin America, offering training workshops in small-population management and launching a regional Amphibian Biobank to safeguard the genetic diversity of at least 25 critically endangered frog species.

Jorge Guerrel manager of PARC holding a captive bred crowned treefrog

As part of decision-making and community engagement, the project contributes to updating National Amphibian Action Plans for the four countries, aligning them with international biodiversity targets and action plans; and engages over 1,000 students annually through outreach programs and public seminars to raise awareness about amphibians.

“I am deeply grateful to the Bezos Earth Fund for their trust in this partnership and their commitment to conserving the most threatened group of vertebrates on the planet. I am equally thankful to our incredible partners, whose expertise and dedication have made this ambitious initiative possible,” added Della Togna.

This collaboration paves the way for a sustainable future for amphibians and their ecosystems by combining the scientific rigor and institutional strength of STRI with the expertise and regional leadership of ASA. Together, this partnership demonstrates the power of global collaboration in addressing urgent biodiversity challenges and ensuring Life on a Sustainable Planet.

Visitors to the Punta Culebra Nature center observe a glass frog