Jeff Bonner's last Editorial as Chair of the Amphibian Ark Steering Committee.

The 2008 Year of the Frog got off to a fantastic start thanks to our Patron, Sir David Attenborough, and more than forty zoos around the world who committed to holding leapfrog events in their institutions on New Year’s Eve.

5 for Frogs is a fun five-month campaign beginning in May. The "pay it forward" spirit asks kids and adults to do something to help frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians through acts of kindness involving the number 5.

Amphibian Ark is delighted to announce that Dr Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist and conservationist, has pledged her support to saving amphibians.

Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, hosted an Amphibian Workshop from January 15-18. Thirty-nine delegates from eight countries attended the workshop, which was held in the magnificent Palace of the Golden Horses hotel.

More than 200 southern African amphibian species were prioritised for conservation action during a two-day AArk-facilitated prioritisation workshop hosted by the Johannesburg Zoo.

We are often asked this question, and with conflicting advice floating around, we thought we should explain our position.

From 12-18 April 2008, the AZA Amphibian Biology & Management Course was held at the Toledo Zoo in Ohio, USA. This marks the 6th offering of the course since 2004 with over 130 students having been trained to date in amphibian biology, husbandry, and conservation.

Between 25th February and 7th March 2008, more than twenty keepers and curators from eleven countries across Europe descended on the International Training Centre at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, Channel Islands,  for the inaugural Amphibian Conservation Husbandry (ACH) course.

AArk’s Richard Gibson and Gerardo Garcia from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust presented husbandry lectures and facilitated discussions and workshops/practicals on a broad range of amphibian husbandry topics in South Africa in April.

AArk's new Research Officer, Robert Browne visited China on his way from Australia to take up a new position as AArk Research Officer in Antwerp. He spent time learning about Chinese giant salamanders, which are considered highly endangered as wild populations have suffered from habitat modification and harvesting for traditional medicine.

Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa recently hosted an amphibian species prioritisation workshop. AArk Research Officer Robert Browne, attended the workshop, and took advantage of this networking opportunity to investigate possible collaborative research projects.

It is great to see a steadily increasing flow of inquiries and donations coming in from individuals, institutions and sponsors. We are also very grateful for the donations from people and groups who have been motivated to fundraise and create public awareness of the Amphibian Ark and 2008 Year of the Frog.

Amphibian Ark is accepting donations and inviting gift givers worldwide – corporations and individuals – to join in one of the greatest species conservation programs in the history of humanity.

As at 17 April, 10,258 signatures have been received by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Office, with an additional 2,707 signatures received via the online petition.

A number of ARAZPA institutions are involved in amphibian conservation and research projects with our native species, with several successful reintroduction programs being managed in the past few years.

AZA institutions have been involved in a number of amphibian-related events and activities. Here is a summary of some of them.

Amphibian-related activities continue to be widely promoted throughout South Asia, with great achievements being made.