Fundación ProAves – por la conservación en el país de las aves

Search for the Lost Amphibians of Colombia

31 May, 2011

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Friday 8 October 2010.

During a herpetological exploration in the Colombian Chocó and framed within the international project Lost Frogs supported by USFWS (Wildlife without borders), the expedition team composed by Alonso Quevedo, Felipe Barrera, Uberney Garcia, Juan Carlos Luna, Luis Rubelio Garcia (Fundación ProAves), Robin Moore (Conservation International), Don Church, Wes Sechrest, Nikki Roach (Global Wildlife Conservation) and Lucy Cooke (journalist) found 3 species new to science, 3 very rare and endemic species of the Chocó.

The species found have become a large and significant contribution to the biodiversity of Colombia and the planet at a time when, unfortunately, many species of amphibians are on the verge of extinction due to factors such as climate change, accelerated deforestation and the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a fungus that threatens the world’s amphibians.

Atelopus sp. nov. (cf) Rhinella sp. nov (cf)

Silverstonea sp. nov (cf)

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Amphibians are considered the best bio-indicators of ecosystem status and within the group of vertebrates they are also more susceptible to disappear before any changes resulting from human actions on ecosystems. Colombia is considered the richest country in the world in amphibian species, but, paradoxically, this special category holds no escaping the unfortunate and sad process of extinction.

Additionally, the expedition found other species of conservation concern including the poison dart frog (Oophaga histrionic).

Oophaga histriónica

Expeditionary Team to the Chocó.

Concern for biodiversity loss and forming part of its institutional mission has led the Fundación ProAves to worry about the conservation of amphibians in Colombia, which has enjoyed the support of all interested international organizations the conservation of biodiversity in Colombia.

We appreciate the resources to support field work donated by USFWS – Wildlife without Borders, Conservation International, Global Wildlife Conservation, American Bird Conservancy and field equipment donated by WLT-US and Columbia Sportswear.

usfish wildlife_without_borders Global_wildlife abc
worldlandtrust conservacioninternacionalcolombia Columbia dendro