IUCN SSC AMPHIBIAN SPECIALIST GROUP (ASG)
REGIONAL GROUP REPORT
2013-2016
Chair/Co-Chair names:
/
Phil Bishop
Regional group:
/
New Zealand
Number of regional group members
(Note: they must also be ASG members):
/
5
summary of GROUP’S main activities in the 2013-2016 period
Please use this section to provide a summary of your regional group’s activities in the 2013-2016 period. You can use bullet points to report on your group’s activities. If you are a recently appointed Chair/Co-Chair, please indicate the date of your appointment.
Summary of NZ activities
•Published New Zealand Native Frog Recovery Plan for 2013 - 2018
•Detailed study of natural locomotion behaviour of three species of Leiopelma in the field to determine use of habitat
• Developed an iBook of NZ frogs and global amphibian declines
•Continued long term monitoring of Leiopelma archeyi population in the Coromandel
•Continued long term monitoring of Leiopelma pakeka on Maud Island
•Provided advice to government and local councils about significance and relevance of native frogs in NZ ecosystems
•Assessed potential habitat in Orokonui Ecosanctuary to determine suitability for a native frog translocation
• Assessed habitat use by Leiopelma hochstetteri in native and exotic forests
•Monitored natural and translocated populations of Leiopelma hamiltoni on Stephens Island and Nukuwaiata
• Surveyed visitors to three NZ zoos to investigate their knowledge about NZ frogs and amphibian declines in general
•Provided advice to 2 zoos about breeding native frogs in captivity (one has been successful)
•Visited 6 schools and ran NZ frog related courses (including viewing live frogs and field trips to local frog sites at several schools)
•Ran workshops at local Maori centres to encourage participation of local indigenous people in native frog conservation
•Engaged with local indigenous tribes to take their members to native frog sites and assist with a frog translocation
•Published research on how to track Leiopelma pakeka using fluorescent powder
•Critically examined skeletal and external morphology of New Zealand’s endemic frogs to highlight likelihood of cryptic extinctions
•Reassessed population numbers of the translocated Leiopelma pakeka on Long Island
•Reassessed population numbers of Leiopelma pakeka on Maud Island
• Ran a Frog Road show with NZ television presenter (Suzy Cato) at the Wild Dunedin festival
• Organised ongoing Maori participation in frog monitoring at a translocated population of L. archeyi.
impact on conservation
Use this section to highlight how your regional group’s activities have had an impact on amphibians and/or habitat/ecosystem conservation. You can also discuss how your regional group is having an impact on amphibian conservation research, capacity building, education and outreach.
Ben Bell has been monitoring two species of Leiopelma for more than 30 years and these data are probably the longest running monitoring data for any frog population in the World. This has enabled us to determine that these frogs are very long lived (>40 years) and they have small home ranges. As there have been many translocations and removal of frogs from Maud Island for conservation and research, with perhaps as many as 1000 frogs involved, we have just reassessed the population on Maud Island to determine if there has been a significant impact and whether it is safe to harvest more frogs for reinforcements as well as for research on captive breeding (the data has been collected and is currently being analysed, although preliminary results suggest positive growth).
The community of frog conservationists has become stronger in NZ with good communication between Auckland and Hamilton Zoosand the re-establishment of the Native Frog Recovery Group. In combination with more public exposure, increased participation by indigenous Maori tribes and workshops at several schools, frog conservation in New Zealand has improved.The group have had a larger presence in the community and the several citizen science projects that are underway have allowed an increase in capacity building and outreach.
future goals and activities in the new 2017-2020 period
Please use this section to explain your regional group’s future goals and projected activities in the forthcoming IUCN period. Please highlight how these relate to the ASG’s 2015-2016 Strategic Plan.
The Native Frog (Leiopelma spp.) Recovery Plan, 2013 - 2018 (Bishop et al. 2013) provides a detailed roadmapof the conservation needs for New Zealand's endemic frogs and priority actions from the plan will drive the future conservation of these species. As there are many priority actions these will be completed when resources and interest allow.
Specific actions identified below -
Tunnels - it is hoped that in this period we will be able to reassess the effectiveness of a frog tunnel installed under Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Mountain range. This tunnel was constructed to prevent Leiopelma hochsettteri being killed when they cross the road during peak traffic times. Unfortunately, the land on one side of the tunnel has been compromised and the tunnel now acts as a one way trip.
Taxonomic issues - Leiopelma hochstetteri may containseveral cryptic species or at the very least a number of taxonomically distinct evolutionarily significant units. In addition, there still remains a controversy over the taxonomic identity of Leiopelma pakeka. The taxonomy of these taxa hampers conservation priorities and this will need to be resolved in the next quadrennium.
Captive breeding and public awareness - Orana Wildlife Park is in the final stages of their frog facility. This purpose-built display and research centre is in a prominent position at the Park and will be visited by thousands of visitors every year. It will contain the greatest number of amphibian species on display in New Zealand and they will investigate the captive husbandry of Leiopelma pakeka as a surrogate species for the Vulnerable Leiopelma hamiltoni. In addition, another wildlife park is seriously considering setting up a purpose built frog breeding centre with the explicit goal of breeding up enough individuals to act as the founders of a new translocated population.
Translocation of Leiopelma archeyi to an off-shore island - an essential goal of the Native Frog Recovery Plan (Action 4.5) is to identify a predator-free island that is suitable to establish a new population of Leiopelma archeyi and to plan and implement this translocation.
The Native Frog Recovery Plan can be downloaded here -
challenges
Other than resources, what have been the main challenges your group has faced to implement its activities? How do you plan to address/work around these challenges in the new period?
Although there are only a few members of the NZ ASG based in New Zealand, we do quite well with frog conservation. This is largely due to the government's Department of Conservation and the Native Frog Recovery Group. Resources are a huge issue as there are many other endangered species which many people consider to be more charismatic and hence they attract more public funding and interest. In the new period we will be focusing on public advocacy and getting communities involved with local frog conservation projects. We are also working with potential funding agencies to secure decent funding for some of the important issues raised above.
acknowledgements
Please indicate which entities/organizations/individuals outside of your regional group have contributed to the group’s activities and achievements.
Richard Gibson and the native team at Auckland Zoo
Stephen Standley at Hamilton Zoo
Lyn Anderson and the native team at Orana Wildlife Park
The New Zealand Native Frog Recovery Group (Amanda Haigh, Lynn Adams, Mandy Tocher, Jennifer Germano, Rhys Burns)