CREA (Conservation thru Research Education and Action), an NGO (Non-government organization) in Panama and San Francisco, which Marvelwood school has worked with for the past six years, recently received a grant from the Rufford Foundation to study an endemic frog species. This particular species of Harelquin frogs actually belongs to the True Toads (Family Bufonidae). Believe it or not, not all toads have warty skin!. These toads are brightly colored and live around stream sides, in mountainous areas in Central and South America. Scientists calculate that approximately 67% of the 110 species of this genus found in the tropics are believed to be extinct. Habitat loss and the dreaded amphibian Chytrid Fungus disease are believed to be responsible for this devastating news about the Atelopus genus of frogs.
This toad was recently found on the property of CREA’s Cocobolo Nature Reserve (CNR). The focus of CREA’s grant is take make an assessment of the Atelopus limosus population residing within CNR in Eastern Panama and to generate habitat characteristics through Ecological Niche Modeling. Warren Wilson College will be helping with the GIS modeling of this critical habitat for this frog species.
On the toad hunt where were looking for a particular Harlequin Frog (Atelopus limosus) this frog (toad) is on IUCN’s Red Endangered 3.1 list. This toad is only endemic to certain areas in Panama. In other words it lives in restricted/ isolated habitats. Not much is not known about this toad species because it hasn’t been really studied very much.
While in Panama Marvelwood students and faculty had the opportunity to work with researchers searching for this frog in the streams running through CNR. Each day we went on a “Frog Hunt” where we were led by CREA’s intern research scientist,Sabine Wischnat, We had to walk up a trail from the secondary forest that leads us up to the primary forest. Passing Net Lanes 10-16 through a large stream where we hiked up huge boulders that where slippery. We climbed over logs that had fallen in the stream from the recent heavy rains and then walked through waist-deep pools in some parts. We had to constantly be on the look-out for snakes which like to sleep on the rocks.
Kerry was the first to spot the elusive toad during one of our hikes. Sabine showed us how to mark the frog’s position by making a waypoint on the GPS and how to take notes about the sex, size, and surrounding habitat where the toad was found. We took pictures of the toad and its habitat. We also did not touch the toad for our safety and the safety of the toad. The toad might be poisonous, and we might kill it buy infecting it with some type of disease.
During our hike we also found other creepy crawlers which we made sure we photographed for Mrs. Everett!!! We then found a Fer-de-lance snake taking a nap near the stream on some rocks. This snake is a very dangerous snake as it is highly poisonous and can be aggressive if disturbed. Thank goodness I had my zoom lens, it came in handy to photograph the snake!
Sources:
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| Boy these toads sure are tiny! |
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| Atelopus limosus |
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| Fer-de-Lance Snake |
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| The gang taking a break. |
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| A nice scorpion we discovered along the stream's edge. |
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| A centipede being chased by the scorpion! |
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