Ex situ program progress

Ex situ program progress


Species		Hylomantis lemur
Region where the program is based		Mesoamerica
The country or countries where this program is based		Panama
The authority that recommended this species for an ex situ program		At an AArk Conservation Needs Assessment workshop
Has a genetic analysis been performed on wild populations to define the target taxon, i.e., verify that single, viable Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESU's) that are managed as separate populations, are not confounded by cryptic species or polymorphisms?		No
If the answer to ESU is No, then there should be an entry for the needs in the Conservation Projects list. This is a link to the project.
Name of the institution(s) managing the ex situ population		El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center
The year that the program started		2005
Is at least some portion of the captive population maintained in range country?		Yes
Are sufficient resources available to manage the ex situ population?		Yes
If additional financial resources are required then then there should be an entry for the needs in the Conservation Projects list. This is a link to the project.
Are adequate numbers of skilled staff available with the appropriate ex situ amphibian experience?		Yes
If additional staff training/expertise is required then then there should be an entry for the needs in the Conservation Projects list. This is a link to the project.
Is sufficient space available for the required population size?		No
If additional facilities are required then then there should be an entry for the needs in the Conservation Projects list. This is a link to the project.
Has a Taxon Management Coordinator for the ex situ population been appointed?		Yes
Name of the Taxon Management Coordinator		Edgardo Griffith
Taxon Management Coordinator’s institution		El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center
Taxon Management Coordinator’s email address		virolasboy01@yahoo.com, egriffith@houstonzoo.org
Has a Taxon Management Group or Recovery Team been established?		No
Names and institutions of Taxon Management Group members
Has a Taxon Management Plan, Recovery Plan or Species Action Statement been written?		No
Web link to Taxon Management Plan
Have Husbandry Guidelines been written?		In preparation
Web link to Husbandry Management Guidelines
Have any knowledge gaps in the species biology or in their interaction with potential threats been identified that could benefit from research using the ex-situ population?		Yes
List of any knowledge gaps		Natural history and capacity of the populations to recover naturally under normal conditions after a Bd outbreak. We need to make sure this species is part of an an ex situ management program at the moment by conducting specific surveys before and after the declines. Verify taxon variability and taxonomy.
Have founder needs been calculated using the AArk Amphibian Population Management Guidelines?		Yes
Have sufficient potential founders been collected?		No
If sufficient founds have not been collected, is there an ongoing search for additional founders?		Yes
The number of potential founders that were collected (males, females and unsexed).		7 Males : 5 Females
Is the ex situ population managed by nationals from the range country?		No
What tools are used to maximize retention of gene diversity?		None
Has the population produced viable offspring?		Yes
Have the first generation captive-bred animals bred successfully?		No
Is the ex situ population housed in permanent isolation from other populations occurring outside its range?		Yes
Is work being supported to study and mitigate threats to the species in the wild, either by the institution or by a regional wildlife agency?		No
Have captive-bred or captive-reared animals been released into the wild?		No
If releases were undertaken, have disease screening protocols or veterinary health checks been conducted prior to releases to the wild?		No
Is follow-up work being carried out to monitor progress of the released animals?		No
Is the taxon again secure in the wild, even if it might still require some ongoing in situ management? i.e., has the need for a captive assurance population been obviated such that we can call this a successfully terminated captive rescue program?		No
Comments		EVACC successfully bred Hylomantis lemur in 2007-2008, to the point that space became a serious limiting factor. We have stopped reproducing this species until we find an effective way to reduce the negative effects that internal parasites have caused within our F1 individuals. We estimate we will start breeding this species again by the end of 2010. Due to its high reproduction rate and adaptability to captive conditions H. lemur could be a great candidate for a reintroduction program in the near future. Training: At the moment we are needing to hire specific keepers for our insect colonies, and to perform amphibian husbandry. We can provide the training to the new keepers when we hire them (we need at least 2 new keepers). Space: Right now we have enough space for the founding population, but we know that lack of space becomes a problem every time we get to reproduce them. We might be able to increase the space for this species within the near future, with the help of a mining company that has shown interest in helping us.