Renewing hope: the rediscovery of Atelopus varius in Costa Rica

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
José F. González-Maya ◽  
Jerrold L. Belant ◽  
Sarah A. Wyatt ◽  
Jan Schipper ◽  
Josué Cardenal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Single Location ◽  
Frog Species ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Remnant Population ◽  
Protected Zone

More than 90% of harlequin frog species (Atelopus spp.), endemic to the Americas, are currently threatened with extinction. We report the discovery of the only currently known breeding population of the Critically Endangered A. varius in Costa Rica. This population was located in 2008 on a private property in Las Tablas Protected Zone near San Vito, Coto Brus at 1300 m elevation. Previously, the only known remaining/remnant population of this species and genus was a single location near Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where two individuals were documented in 2004. Subsequent searches at this location have yielded no additional sightings. Delineating the spatial limits of this population, quantifying demographics and resource use, and implementing conservation actions are necessary to ensure persistence of this population. Conducting additional surveys in this region to ascertain occurrence of additional populations is warranted.

scholarly journals Unusual Record of Nocturnal Activity of the Critically Endangered Atelopus varius at Protected Zone Las Tablas, Costa Rica

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Diego Alejandro Gomez Hoyos
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Herbaceous Plant ◽  
Diurnal Activity ◽  
Nocturnal Activity ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
Species Of Conservation Concern ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Protected Zone

Atelopus varius is a critically endangered species distributed in Costa Rica and Panama. It has diurnal activity and at night it rests on vegetation or in crevices, with no apparent nocturnal activity. Herein, we report an unusual nocturnal activity for the species at Las Tablas Protected Zone, Costa Rica; we observed an individual on an herbaceous plant at night, performing slow movements while feeding on ants. Despite A. varius being one of the most well-known species of the genera, there are still poorly studied aspects of its natural history. Therefore, we propose to lead research efforts on the nocturnal behaviour of A. varius, with the purpose of filling knowledge gaps for this important species of conservation concern.

scholarly journals From hope to alert: demography of a remnant population of the Critically Endangered Atelopus varius from Costa Rica

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-200
Author(s):  
José F. González-Maya ◽  
Diego A. Gómez-Hoyos ◽  
Ivan Cruz-Lizano ◽  
Jan Schipper
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Remnant Population

scholarly journals Water-bug (Abedus SP.; Belostomatidae) Predation on the Critically Endangered Atelopus varius (Bufonidae) at Las Tablas Protected Zone, Costa Rica

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-406
Author(s):  
José F. González-Maya ◽  
Diego A. Gómez-Hoyos ◽  
Rocio Seisdedos-de-Vergara ◽  
Iván Cruz-Lizano ◽  
Jan Schipper
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Reproductive Season ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
New Information ◽  
Water Bugs ◽  
Protected Zone

Atelopus varius was believed to be extinct in Costa Rica until the rediscovery of a population within the Las Tablas Protected Zone (LTPZ) in 2008. This rediscovery represented a research and conservation opportunity, including contributing new information about the species´ natural history. There are few reported species that prey on A. varius. This report presents a new predation record by a species of water bug (Abedus spp.) on an adult harlequin frog (A. varius). This is only the second confirmed predator for the species. These water bugs have been reported to prey on anurans during reproductive seasons, but in this case, the event occurred on A. varius out of their reproductive season. The effects of water bug predation on the only known reproductive population of this Critically Endangered species needs to be assessed to consider appropriate conservation measures to prevent further decline of the species.

scholarly journals Catastrophic decline and subsequent conservation management of the Critically Endangered Fatu Hiva Monarch Pomarea whitneyi in the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia)

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-615
Author(s):  
THOMAS GHESTEMME ◽  
ARTHUR MATOHI ◽  
CAROLINE BLANVILLAIN ◽  
EMMANUELLE PORTIER ◽  
MADEN LE BARH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Hypothesis ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Initial Increase ◽  
Source Population ◽  
Management Area ◽  
Trapping Method ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Initial Hypothesis

SummaryThis paper documents the catastrophic decline of the ‘Critically Endangered’ Fatu Hiva Monarch Pomarea whitneyi since 2000 and presents population dynamics and conservation actions for the species between 2008 and 2017. The Fatu Hiva Monarch conservation programme has prevented the extinction of the species thus far. However, after an initial increase in the population size within the management area between 2008 and 2012, recruitment subsequently declined. Improvements in the method of trapping to control cats in 2016 and 2017 coincided with encouraging results in terms of juvenile monarch survival rates, although two adult birds disappeared during the same period. The initial hypothesis, that the population would recover once the main threat, black (or ship) rat Rates Rattus predation, was effectively controlled in the breeding territories, has not proved to be correct. An alternative hypothesis assumes that cat predation, mainly on young birds, is limiting monarch recovery. Control of feral cats has been undertaken since 2010, but the implementation of a new trapping method (leg-hold traps) combined with a significant increase in cat trapping effort, has coincided with an increase in the number of cats culled, as well as monarch post-fledging survival in 2016 and 2017. For the first time in the project, no mortality has been observed for monarch chicks, fledged juveniles or immature birds. If this alternative hypothesis holds, we would expect to recruit young birds into the monarch population in the next year or two. First, this will reduce the likelihood that the Fatu Hiva Monarch will become extinct and second, provide a source population to either repopulate the island following the eradication of rats and cats or to translocate birds to a rat and cat free island.

scholarly journals Ecology and demography of the Critically Endangered Kandian torrent toadAdenomus kandianus: a long-lost endemic species of Sri Lanka

Oryx ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suranjan Karunarathna ◽  
Sujan Henkanaththegedara ◽  
Dinesh Gabadage ◽  
Madhava Botejue ◽  
Majintha Madawala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Management Actions

AbstractThe tropical island nation of Sri Lanka is a biodiversity hotspot with a high diversity and endemism of amphibians. The endemic, stream-dwelling Kandian torrent toadAdenomus kandianusis Critically Endangered and was considered to be extinct until its rediscovery in 2012. The species is now known from two localities in tropical montane forests. We conducted a 4-year study using transect surveys and opportunistic excursions to assess habitat associations, demographics and abundance ofA. kandianusin and around Pidurutalagala Conservation Forest. We recorded a mean of 44.25 post-metamorphs per year, with a density of < 1 individual per 100 m2, with occurrence within a narrow extent (c. 0.005 km2) of the stream channel. Behaviour and microhabitat selection varied depending on sex and stage of maturity. The species preferred moderately sized montane streams with rocky substrates and woody debris, colder temperatures, and closed-canopy, intact riparian forests. We noted size-based reversed sexual dimorphism and a strong ontogenetic relationship between snout–vent length and body weight. Anthropogenic activities such as intensive crop farming deterred the species; proximity to croplands had a negative influence on abundance. We recommend re-delineation of the boundary of Pidurutalagala Conservation Forest to incorporate the toad's habitat into the core of the reserve and thus limit the impacts of human activities. Conservation and management actions such as ex-situ breeding, population monitoring, and restoration of degraded habitats could also contribute towards the persistence of this toad. Our findings provide useful insights into ecological research on and conservation of range-restricted aquatic amphibians.

scholarly journals Molecular phylogeny of the South American sheldgeese with implications for conservation of Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and continental populations of the Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps and Upland Goose C. picta

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIANA BULGARELLA ◽  
CECILIA KOPUCHIAN ◽  
ADRIÁN S. DI GIACOMO ◽  
RICARDO MATUS ◽  
OLIVIA BLANK ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Tierra Del Fuego ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Falkland Islands ◽  
Continental Population ◽  
Population Size Estimates ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Upland Goose

SummarySheldgeese of the genus Chloephaga are waterfowl (Anatidae) endemic to mainland South America and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Continental populations of three species C. picta, C. poliocephala, and C. rubidiceps breed in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego and migrate northwards to winter in central Argentina and Chile. These continental populations have declined by > 50% in the past 30 years due to direct hunting to control crop damage and by the introduction of the grey fox Dusicyon griseus to their breeding grounds in Tierra del Fuego. The continental population of C. rubidiceps is critically endangered, estimated to be < 1,000 individuals. While no historic population size estimates exist for C. rubidiceps in its wintering grounds, the breeding population in Tierra del Fuego was estimated to number several thousand individuals in the 1950s. In contrast, the C. rubidiceps population in the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) is non-migratory and stable with > 42,000 individuals, as is the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) population of C. picta leucoptera with > 138,000 individuals. Here we use sequence data from the mitochondrial DNA control region to quantify genetic divergence between insular and continental populations of these two species of sheldgeese. Chloephaga rubidiceps and C. picta showed significant intraspecific differentiation of 1.0% and 0.6%, respectively. In both cases, mainland and insular populations were reciprocally monophyletic and did not share mtDNA haplotypes. These results suggest that the insular and continental populations of C. rubidiceps and C. picta are genetically distinct and that female-mediated gene flow is restricted. We recommend a reevaluation of the threat category status of the continental C. rubidiceps population, under IUCN guidelines. It is necessary to implement urgent actions for the conservation of this critically endangered population.

scholarly journals Status, distribution and conservation of Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus (Aves, Charadriiformes) in Sicily

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Galasso ◽  
Giovanni Spinella ◽  
Manuel Andrea Zafarana ◽  
Antonino Barbera ◽  
Andrea Cusmano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sharp Decrease ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Charadrius Alexandrinus ◽  
Previous Decade ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
First Time ◽  
Kentish Plover

The Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus is a sensitive species whose national breeding population has been undergoing a sharp decrease, up to 50%, in 2010 compared to the previous decade. Due to the lack of updated data and fragmented knowledge about its current status and distribution in Sicily, a specific and accurate monitoring of this species was carried out during the years 2018 and 2019. About 230 km of coastline and 64 UTM squares 10x10 km were investigated during the breeding seasons, and a total of 205-287 pairs have been estimated for the whole region, distributed in 41 UTM squares (including the island of Favignana). Pairs are mainly concentrated in the complex of “Saline di Trapani and Stagnone di Marsala” and along the sandy coast of Gulf of Gela, with a higher abundance along the southeast coast of the region. Breeding population showed a decrease of 18-28% in number of pairs in comparison to the last estimation of 250-400 pairs reported for the years 2009-2010. After the investigation of 108 km of coastline and 46 UTM squares, the Sicilian wintering population has been estimated at 376- 563 ind., with wintering flocks mainly concentrated in the wetlands of “Mazara del Vallo” and along the coasts of Syracuse and the Gulf of Gela. These updated estimates place Sicily as the second most important Italian region for the wintering of this species, just after Sardinia. For the first time, the data collected have made it possible to draw up qualitative-quantitative maps of C. alexandrinus distribution in Sicily, providing an important instrument for the management and planning of specific conservation actions, which should be based on habitat protection and implementation of appropriate artificial ecological niches.

scholarly journals Facilitative behavioral interactions between deepwater piscivores at Isla del Coco National Park and Las Gemelas Seamount, Costa Rica

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Auster ◽  
Astrid Sánchez-Jiménez ◽  
Jesús A. Rodríguez-Arrieta ◽  
Andrés J. Quesada ◽  
Cinthya Pérez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Apex Predators ◽  
Eastern Tropical Pacific ◽  
Behavioral Interactions ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Patterns And Processes

<p>The shallow waters around Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, have the highest density of apex predators within the Eastern Tropical Pacific. This represents a unique opportunity to assess the structure of predatory interactions in a community relatively unimpacted by fishing. Facilitation of predation has commonly been observed in shallow reef systems, limited in depth by observations via scuba divers. Here we present a preliminary catalog of facilitative behavioral interactions between 12 taxa of deepwater piscivores at Isla del Coco and Las Gemelas Seamount in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, collected via video from submersible vehicles to depths of approximately 311 m from 2002-2012. Observations were ad hoc and likely represent only a portion of the web of interactions that occur in this ecological setting. That such interactions can be observed to 300 m during the narrow time frame of submersible dives suggests that direct behavioral facilitation of piscivory may play a significant role in the apex predator guild of deepwater fishes. Investigating the extent and population-community consequences of such interactions will provide valuable insight into patterns and processes that occur in communities protected from direct fisheries as well as focus conservation actions. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (Suppl. 1): S187-S196. Epub 2016 February 01.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Privately public seeds: competing visions of property, personhood, and democracy in Costa Rica's entry into CAFTA and the Union for Plant Variety Protection (UPOV)

2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guntra A. Aistara
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Public Domain ◽  
Plant Variety Protection ◽  
Plant Variety ◽  
Variety Protection

Costa Rica's entry into the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) was hotly contested and the subject of a national referendum. For activists opposing the treaty, questions of 'privatizing seeds' through imposing intellectual property rights were among the main concerns raised by the treaty, as one requirement of CAFTA was signing the international Convention on Plant Variety Protection known as UPOV. The threat to farmers' seeds in Costa Rica and many other parts of the world is more complicated than being a clear-cut issue of privatization. Struggles for control over seeds are a crucial part of the political economy of agriculture that are grounded in debates over the significance of the physical and social properties of seeds as a natural resource. This article explores how debates over intellectual property rights to seeds confound simple distinctions between public domain and private property, and the implications for agricultural genetic diversity. Moreover, through the story of Costa Rica's engagement with CAFTA and UPOV, I contemplate the broader effects of the free trade paradigm on reconfiguring ideas not only of property but also of personhood and democracy. I will argue that through reconfiguring the boundary between the public domain and private property in the realm of seeds, recent intellectual property trends also reinscribe the definition of farmers along pre-defined class lines. Through their actions, groups involved offer competing visions of how a local resource should be defined and internationally connected; these visions can be understood as competing visions of political ecology in practice.Keywords: Costa Rica, CAFTA, UPOV, intellectual property, seeds

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