Amphibian conservation displays

gentle lemur

gentle lemur

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Bristol Zoo has just completed a new display, known as the Amphipod (silly name, but someone must thought it was a good idea - and there is an apologetic picture of a proper amphipod on one of the signs).
For those who know Bristol it is in one of the few unused spaces in this small zoo, against the boundary wall between the end of the fruit bat aviary and the giant tortoise paddock. It is a basic wooden building with a pretty simple design; a central lobby, a left hand room with 6 vivaria for golden mantellas and a right hand room with 6 vivaria for lemur leaf frogs (Hylomantis lemur) and some boxes etc for tadpoles. It's possible to see the mantellas from a distance, but I couldn't spot any leaf frogs (are they nocturnal?).

amphipod-amphibian-breeding-display-92900-m.jpg


amphipod-golden-mantella-section-92901-m.jpg


As the photos show, the nice thing about the building is that is plastered with signs explaining its function, breeding rare amphibians in clean surroundings - and it includes a panel about zoo amphibian projects from around the world.

amphipod-world-wide-amphibian-projects-sign-92907-m.jpg


The only one of these that I have seen is Chester's, which is simply a display of three vivariums in a stand-alone unit, currently in the lobby of the Jaguar building. Can anyone describe one of the others?

I have posted of the other signs in the Gallery. Further details of the Bristol unit are at Frog ?love shack? to open at Bristol Zoo Gardens

Alan
 
That sign misses out Marwell's Amphibian Ark! A load of complications came with building that, they shouldn't be forgotten! :p
 
gentle lemur said:
The only one of these that I have seen is Chester's, which is simply a display of three vivariums in a stand-alone unit, currently in the lobby of the Jaguar building. Can anyone describe one of the others?
Click to expand...


As zg notes, the Life on the Lily Pad display currently in the Jag house (although shown on Bristol's sign) is not the main amphibian conservation unit at Chester - there are two pods (with planning permission recently granted for a third) off-show outside the zoo perimeter (but on zoo land).
 
The one at Taronga Zoo, shown in the image above and ZooPro has just posted his photo of the structure, is a 40ft reefer (refrigerated shipping container). The frogs kept inside are the endangered Corroboree Frogs, an alpine species - hence the refrigerated container. In the back of the reptile house they have been successful keeping and breeding Booroolong Frogs, and releasing them back into the wild.

The Zoo - Booroolong Frog breeding program at Taronga Zoo

:p

Hix
 
ZooPro knows lots about Amphibian Ark and related stuff, he may be the one to ask any questions people have about the programs?
 
Hi Alan,

The reason for the "silly" name is because this is exhibit, like the others listed in your photo, are all made from old recycled shipping containers, that are known as "pods". They are relatively inexpensive to purchase and fit-out, are mobile, don't take up a lot of room, are ideal for housing amphibian breeding programs, either on display or off display, and are also a great way for zoos to spread the message about recycling.

The idea of using old shipping was created by Gerry Marantelli from the Amphibian Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. There is more information about Gerry's containers and designs for various sized containers on his web site.

There is also more information about containers in general on the Amphibian Ark's web site.

As mentioned in the graphics in Bristol's display, these containers, or pods, have been used very successfully for many amphibian conservation projects. At the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, their container is used primarily for endangered frogs from Panama:

abgs-frog-pod-breeding-endangered-panamanian-92923.jpg


inside-frog-pod-atlanta-botanic-gardens-92924.jpg


As Hix has mentioned, Taronga Zoo has successfully raised coroborree frogs in their shipping container which has been made into an informative display that not only provides the public with a large window to see what's going on in the container, but incorporates extensive interpretative graphics.

coroborree-frog-breeding-area-exhibit-taronga-92925.jpg


Chester Zoo in the UK has just installed its second amphibian container. The containers are being used to house green-eyed frogs from Costa Rica and black-eyed tree frogs from Central America:

inside-chester-zoos-amphibian-pod-93001.jpg


Shipping containers are also being used for amphibian conservation programs at the following institutions:

  • Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey/Channel Islands
  • EVACC (imminent), Panama
  • Phoenix Zoo, USA
  • Summit Zoo, Panama
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Australia
  • Universidad de Concepción, Chile
 
As Bristol hasn't, I'll post some pictures of Marwell's Amphibian Ark here. Built within the old lion house, there are six vivariums on show to the public which visitors of course view from the outside for biological control reasons, which currently display Golden Mantellas, Amazon Milk Frogs, Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs, Puerto Rican Crested Toads (only ones in Europe) and Blue-Thiged Dart Frogs: the sixth vivarium, scheduled for Danube Crested Newts, is complete in all but the inhabitants. And behind that of course is the wide bio-controlled space with off-show vivariums, The only thing it is lacking is information about what the ark is actually for.

Amphibian Ark at Marwell Wildlife, 9 August 2009
Amphibian Centre Interior
 
Thank you for the responses. I know and understand about the off-show facilities in many zoos around the world and the urgent need to expand and extend such programs.
As the title of this thread suggests, what particularly interests me about the Bristol building is that it is on show to the public, explaining its design and function to all (provided they read the signs, of course). I'm sure that many zoos are trying to interest their visitors in amphibian conservation; this just strikes me as a good way of doing this.

Alan
 
Incidentally Marwell have just successfully bred Neurergus kaiseri, apparently the first BIAZA collection to be successful with this species!
 
Vulpes said:
Incidentally Marwell have just successfully bred Neurergus kaiseri, apparently the first BIAZA collection to be successful with this species!
Click to expand...

Very good news indeed - well done Marwell!
 
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