Frog Declines in Costa Rica: A Spatial Perspective

 

 

 

 

 



Approximately 43% of amphibian species

are declining (Stuart et al., 2004) and

several species have gone extinct (Wilson

and McCranie, 2003; La Marca et al., 2005;

 Lips et al., 2006).  The Neotropics are

home to more than half of the worldÕs 6,000

described amphibian species (Frost et al.,

2006), with high species endemism at

middle and upper elevations (Duellman,

1999).  It is these middle and upper

elevation amphibian communities that have declined most severely

(e.g., Lips et al., 2004; Stuart et al., 2004).

 

ProcServlet (params=[pa=0.5&sa=0&ry=321&rx=480&cr=0.0,0.0,1.0,1.0&nocredit=1&ci=47b8da05b3127cceb7871a79cee500000026102ActWjFq5cMv&r=0&cb=15265008&p=1&dsbg=221&ps=1&po=0&g=2.2&bw=0.2&b=1&ph=61670&si=00200895145920080424161856441.JPG&gc=1] actions=[CachedC 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Volcan Arenal from Tilaran Mountains where frog declines occurred in 1987.

 

 

Objectives:  Use maps toÉ

1. assess the historical and current ranges of the seven Costa Rican C. rugulosus frogs

 

2. evaluate the efficacy of protected areas as refuges for frog populations. 

 

3. at the same time I mapped the spread of Bd, as it has moved through Costa Rica and Panama over the past 20 years

 

File written by Adobe Photoshop¨ 5.2
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Approximately15% of Costa Rica is under protection and within this matrix of parks and reserves at least a small portion of most C. rugulosus species occurred within a protected area.  Yet, this has not helped in the persistence or conservation of any of these species.

 

 

 

 

Relationship between parks and C. rugulosus frogs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

File written by Adobe Photoshop¨ 5.2
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Were once widespread throughout the country

 

File written by Adobe Photoshop¨ 4.0
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


All frogs are goneÉ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Current conservation practices are not sufficient to protect amphibians in Central America. 

 

One alternative includes captive breeding in host countries and United States and this is being attempted by Zoo Atlanta, Houston Zoo, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden.