Leaping Ahead of Extinction: A celebration of good news for amphibians in 2012
To coincide with Leap Day (February 29th) 2012, Amphibian Ark is launching a new international event, Leaping Ahead of Extinction: A celebration of good news for amphibians in 2012.
The event’s been timed to coincide with Leap Day (29th February) 2012, and will promote the great successes in the conservation of amphibians in captivity and in the wild. The focus will be on institutions that are managing amphibian rescue or supplementation programs, recommended either during an AArk conservation needs assessment, or by national governments or field experts.
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| Epipedobates anthonyi, özi’s comix studio. |
We especially want to focus on programs that have, or are currently, involved with in situ releases, head-starting etc., to show the important connections between ex situ and in situ conservation activities, and we’ll be highlighting the essential conservation activities that are being carried out in the wild. If you would like your institution to participate in the celebration, click here for more information.
AArk is currently tracking almost a hundred programs for threatened amphibian species. You can see all the key milestones for these programs on our online database of the progress of conservation programs.
Participating institutions
The following institutions are participating in the Leaping Ahead of Extinction celebration, and we’d like encourage you to visit these institutions on or around Leap Day 2012, to learn more about their amphibian conservation programs, and what they are doing in response to the global amphibian crisis. As additional institutions around the world let us know that they are participating in the Leaping Ahead of Extinction celebration, we’ll list them here, along with any updates about their specific amphibian conservation programs. Find a participating institution in your area.
You can read updates on amphibian conservation programs at these institutions, or read about the activities they are planning for Leap Day.
| Leaping Ahead of Extinction posters now available!
The beautiful posters advertising the Leaping Ahead of Extinction campaign are now available in both English and Spanish versions for download. We hope that your institution will print copies of these posters and display them throughout your institution. We’d especially like to thank özi and his team from özi’s comix studio in Bonn, Germany, for their help in creating the poster for us, and the wonderful artists who donated their art work for the poster. Low resolution, English (2 MB) High resolution, print-ready, English (10.5 MB) jpeg format, English (1.5 MB) Low resolution, Spanish (1.4 MB) High resolution, print-ready, Spanish (15 MB) jpeg format, Spanish (1.5 MB) |
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Participating institutions by country
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| Anotheca spinosa, Amanda Makepeace. |
Information for participating institutions
Just like our hugely successful Year of the Frog Campaign in 2008, you do not have to be involved in rescue programs to participate in this campaign. We want to get our amphibian conservation messages out to as many people as possible – everyone’s welcome. Promotions will focus on the success of rescue and supplementation programs.
Q. What will we be doing?
A. Encouraging as many people as possible to visit their closest zoo or facility with amphibian programs, on or around Leap Day 2012, so that they can discover important conservation programs. We’ll promote the event through international media releases, on our web site, in our newsletter and Facebook page, through regional and national zoo associations and amphibian groups.
Q. What do I have to do to participate?
A. Any or all of the following:
- Send an email to kevinj@amphibianark.org and let us know your institution would like to be part of this celebration.
- Send us a copy of your logo, so we can promote your participation on the web site, in our newsletter and on a poster that we are producing to promote the event.
- Check to see if your institution’s amphibian rescue or supplementation programs are included in our list of ex situ programs, www.amphibianark.org/amphibian-rescue-programs.htm If they are, and they need updating, please send us the updated information and any photos, and we’ll update your details. If your programs aren’t included, please download a copy of the data form from www.amphibianark.org/pdf/Ex_situ_program_progress_form.xls, fill it out and email it back to us, and we’ll add your programs to the list.
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Tylototriton kweichowensis, Danny Beckwith. Send us a quick update report, and any photos of your programs, and we’ll include them in the AArk newsletter, and on the Leaping Ahead of Extinction web site.
- Promote your commitment to amphibian conservation during February 2012, and especially on Leap Day 2012. We’ll be sending participating institutions copies of the Leaping Ahead of Extinction poster and other materials that you can use to promote the event on your own web sites, in your newsletters, and to your visitors.
Q. Will it cost anything?
A. No. (All we need is your commitment to participate, and for you to send us some updates, as outlined above. Of course, donations to support AArk’s core operations are always appreciated, and are necessary for us to continue our coordination of ex situ amphibian conservation. You can make donations to AArk at any time via our web site.
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| Atelopus palmatus, Alex Plante. |
Q. What are the benefits?
A. This event is designed to celebrate wonderful amphibian conservation programs, and to share your progress with the world! We hope to gain significant international coverage, showcasing how, collectively the ex situ conservation community is making a difference towards amphibian conservation and survival.
We hope you’ll be part of this celebration and take advantage of a fantastic opportunity to show your commitment to amphibian conservation. Raising awareness of the amphibian crisis is an on-going priority and promotions like this publicize the vital work you’re doing, spread the word about the amphibian crisis, and hopefully, lead to greater understanding, support and action from the public and the corporate sector.
Please contact us if you require any additional information.
