Issue #21 - July 2021 by Herp Magazine

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

erpetoculture agazine Issue #21 - July 2021

The Neon Grace of Phelsuma klemmeri In Search of Botswana's Amphibians

The Focus Cubed Habitats Eighteen Cube Reviewed!

Conservation Through Ecotourism with Save the Frogs

Tips for Quality Feeders

Palmetto Coast Exotics

Captive bred colubrids and pythons Facebook.com/palmettocoastherps

-- On the Cover -Thomas Steiner @zigermandli_photography

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Copyright © 2021 by Herpetoculture Magazine all rights reserved. This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Twenty First Edition www.herpetoculturemagazine.com Herpetoculture Magazine

Contributors Justin Smith - Publisher -

Billy Hunt - Publisher -

Paul Donovan - Contributor -

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Phil Wolf - Executive Contributor -

Harmony Tenney - Contributor -

Nipper Read - Executive Contributor -

Sydney Wachtler - Contributor -

From The Publishers’ Desk It’s another month which means another issue of HM! Daytona is fast approaching and we’re excited to say that we’re vending! So if you’re planning on being at the show, swing by our table and say hi. Billy and I both think the show this year will be one of the biggest yet due to COVID restrictions lifting and people anxious to get back to the NRBE. We will have some shirts and stickers available. We also plan to have some hard copies of the magazine available as well though a final verdict on how many of what hasn’t been made yet. Phil, Billy, and I are excited to hang out with everyone again which is one part of Daytona we enjoy the most! See you there. - Justin

Justin Smith & Billy Hunt -Publishers-

Herpetoculture Magazine 2

Wanna win a $400 blackbox cages gift card? This issue of HM offers an exclusive giveaway! entry rules: email the code BBTHM" to both orders@blackboxcages.com and herpetoculturemagazine@gmail.com *Full $400 must go towards a cage or rack, stand alone accessories are not eligible *

Winner will be drawn on release day of issue #22!

BLACKBOXCAGES.COM

Do you go herping regularly? Why or Why not? "I like to go as often as I can, the biggest thing stopping me from going more often is just having regular time. And getting a group to go once and a while would be nice." Maryann Barbon "I try to go when I can, which is not as often as I would like.. My excuse is that we are a young family, I work full time with a 3 hour round trip commute to work everyday, plus my modest collection of animals to care for. When I do have some free time, (which is almost never when you have a baby) I don’t have the energy to do much of anything". Derek Dykstra

"No because I don’t know where to go lol" - Summer Grace Mitchell

"Lack of time for me but it is mind blowing what my 14 year old daughter does last year she came around the corner with two fists full of adult garter snakes smelling to high heaven! 5 of them end up being Pacific blues and then she ended up with hundreds of babies." - Cristal Buckner

Herpetoculture Magazine

Neon

Grace

in Phelsuma

klem

mer

Sydney Wachtler of The Crested Closet

Photo >> Ruben Undheim

Phelsuma klemmeri, also known as the Neon Day Gecko, Klemmer’s Gecko or in some cases Yellow-Headed Day Gecko (not to be confused with the Yellow-Headed Gecko), is a previously uncommonly-kept species that has risen in popularity over the last few years. An increasing number of hobbyists are being drawn to the little gecko’s strikingly bright appearance, an electric green-yellow head, nearly fluorescent turquoise body, and bold black markings, and their big personalities. Despite their tiny size (a maximum of about four inches in length), this species is surprisingly bold and inquisitive, often basking in plain sight. In many cases, they will curiously climb onto a hand. Still, when startled, they can move with incredible speed and therefore it is recommended that handling be done in an enclosed area.

Care A 12" x 12" x 18” size enclosure will comfortably house a pair and an 18" x 18" x 24” enclosure would house a small colony. These geckos are social to some extent, often communicating through head bobs and tilts, and will regularly bask together, though some individuals of either sex can be more dominant than others and sometimes displaying aggressive behaviors. Fortunately, the adults are generally peaceful toward the offspring.

Phelsuma klemmeri are native to bamboo forests in northwest Madagascar and are endangered in the wild. When housed in captivity, this species thrives when provided with hollowed-out bamboo tubes placed at an angle in which to hide and lay eggs. These geckos are a diurnal, tropical species and require high humidity, UVB, and basking temperatures to thrive. Humidity should be kept between 60-80%, though they will tolerate occasional fluctuations. The enclosure should be misted two to three times per day to maintain these levels. A 5.0 or 10.0 UVB will ensure that your Phelsuma klemmeri maintain their vivid coloration. Temperatures should range from 75 to 80 degrees, with a basking spot of 90-94 degrees Fahrenheit provided.

Herpetoculture Magazine

Availability While previously obscure in the hobby, this species has become more widespread in captivity thanks to captive breeding efforts by dedicated hobbyists. Nearly, if not all, specimens are captive-bred, resulting in a hardier and more readily available supply. While still relatively uncommon, captive Phelsuma klemmeri are increasing in numbers and popularity. Overall, Phelsuma klemmeri are a stunning and personable species of gecko. Because of their bold, active, and social nature, they are fascinating to observe during the day and they will readily interact with their environment, each other, and their keeper. They are a splendid addition to a display vivarium or any reptile collection. Due to their diminutive size, Phelsuma klemmeri require small, live insect prey, such as hydei or melanogaster fruit flies, pinhead to ⅛ size crickets, and tiny mealworms. Insects should be dusted in a vitamin and calcium supplement. In addition to live insects, this species should be fed a complete powdered diet, such as Pangea, ZooMed, or Repashy.

Breeding Thankfully, Phelsuma klemmeri are not difficult to breed when given the correct environment. Bamboo or plastic test tubes are necessary for the females to deposit the eggs into, as this species does not glue its eggs. The eggs can be incubated inside the enclosure or carefully removed and incubated at 80-85 degrees. Typically, the female will lay two eggs per clutch, approximately 30 days apart, but single eggs are not uncommon. Any infertile eggs the female may consume for the calcium. The eggs will usually hatch between 30 and 60 days, but may take up to 90 days at lower incubation temperatures.

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Pre-NRBE Daytona Preservation Party at The August 19th, just before NRBE weekend, the Reptile Preservation Institute, Abronia Alliance, and the World Reptile & Amphibian Preservation Society have put together a fundraising event called The Reptile Preservation Party! The event is both virtual and in-person for those attending Daytona or just in the Southeast U.S. region. It will be held at the Reptile Preservation Institute facility hosted by Pia and Cody Bartolini in Melrose, Florida roughly an hour and a half from Daytona. This party is geared to help fund species and habitat protection, population assurance programs, and scientific research! The event is ticketed and will feature virtual talks and an auction. To grab your tickets go to reptilepreservation-institute.ticketleap.com to sign up! The event starts at 4 PM EST. If you are interested in being a sponsor, the event is looking for some! There are silver, gold, and platinum tiers. For more info on becoming a sponsor send an email to reptilepreservation@gmail.com.

Herpetoculture Magazine

A TRIP IN SEARCH OF BOTSWANA'S AMPHIBIANS

With Paul Donovan

You could be forgiven for thinking that a country with a land mass comprised of 84% of the Kalahari Desert, and is arid as a piece of sandpaper, you’d be hard pressed to find anything in the way of a reasonable amphibian population. And that’s what I thought, until I embarked on an 1100km (684 mile) bike ride from the arid South to the wet North of Botswana to see just what I could find. 9

Adapted To a Dry Existence -A lot of frogs and toads that live in the south, where it is dry and sandy, have adapted to living in such a dry environment by burrowing down into the sand to the cooler underlying layers. Emerging at night as the temperature drops, they begin to forage for nocturnal insects. Interestingly, unlike the majority of frogs and toads, these burrowing species are not reliant upon a water source to survive. They have adapted themselves to live in a more hostile environment, by undergoing several important biological changes. By far the most important of these is the ability to retain water. An amphibian living in the desert, is a pretty precarious creature as they will dehydrate faster than an ice cream melting on a hot summer day. When you unearth some of these frogs and toads, they resemble bloated bags of water. If you pick them up (which you should not do), they then release jets of water from the anus, and begin to shrink like a deflating balloon. This ability is important for the toad or frog, as it prevents them from dehydration, and allows them to remain deep in the ground for days, if not weeks on end while the surface is baking hot. They slow their metabolism down as a smart survival strategy. A further important area where biological adaptation has occurred, is with reproduction. In many expanses of their range, water may be a very scarce commodity, and only when the rains come, do many of Botswana’s amphibians have a short window of opportunity to breed. Come the rains, males and females will congregate in temporary pools of water and begin to spawn. The eggs of some species may hatch in as little as 24 hours, and metamorphosis (transformation from an immature form to an adult form) can occur in a matter of a few days. Many frogs and toads retain water.

Compared to the South, the north of Botswana is a perfect habitat for amphibians.

My First Find -The first frog I found was a species that I knew well, as I find plenty of them around my home, the Grey Tree Frog, Chiromantis xerampelina. This is quite an interesting frog, because it changes color. When found in a dark environment they take on, as the common name implies, a grey color. However, move them into the light, and within a few minutes they have turned snow-white. Put them back in the dark, and they revert to their darker form. I know of no other amphibian in Botswana with the ability to change color like that. The behavior is likely used for defence. Another species known to me is the Red Toad, Schismaderma carens. I covered this species in depth in an article in the April 2021 issue of HM. Occurring in grasslands and savannah areas, it is known to forage far from water. During the day it holds up in burrows, or in the hollows of trees where the temperature is significantly lower, and humidity higher, thus preventing dehydration. It has a range extending from South Africa, through Botswana into Zimbabwe. It is quite a large toad reaching a length of seven to nine centimeters. Females can be identified by their reddish brown coloration and two prominent black spots on the lower region of the back. Males, in contrast, are a greenish grey with a dark line running down the flanks, the throat is wrinkled and the back is granular. The toes of both sexes are webbed. During the evening when males sing to attract a mate, they have a deep croaking call. The call is particularly noticeable following a bout of rain (during the day or evening) when the males sing as a chorus. Mating typically takes place in deep water during the rainy season. The tadpoles are quite large, reaching three centimeters in length, and congregate just below the water’s surface in football-sized clumps.

One area where this toad is frequently encountered, is in the urban garden. It is attracted there by poolside lights or lit windows where insects congregate. Although it cannot climb like Chiromantis xerampelina, it takes insects which fall to the floor such as beetles. It is considered the gardener’s friend for it preys on a great many garden pests. In the mornings, it is not uncommon to find several toads taking a swim in the swimming pool.

A Natural Pregnancy Test -The African clawed frog was used The African Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevis, is a rather obscure as a test for pregnancy. looking, somewhat flattened representative of the family Pipidae, and is a commonly kept frog in the hobby - in its albino form. It reaches a length of eight to thirteen centimeters, and extends from South Africa into Central and Eastern Africa where it occurs in lakes, swamps, ponds and slow-flowing rivers. It has a rather broad, flattened body with powerful hind limbs and strongly webbed rear feet. The head is small and flattened with a wide mouth. This profile allows them to secrete themselves into the tightest of gaps. Simply referred to as Xenopus, this frog was once used as a test to determine whether a woman was pregnant or not. The patient’s urine was injected into the frog, for which the frog would react to the hormones in it. Within a few hours of being injected, if the woman was pregnant the frog would begin to spawn. If she was not, no spawning would take place. As with all Pipidae, Xenopus is a tongueless frog. What this means, is they do not have an extendible tongue with which to capture their prey as other frogs and toads do. Xenopus is a totally aquatic frog that is common to bodies of water with large amounts of vegetation, and muddy bottoms. During the rainy season, they may move from one water source to another by ‘swimming’ across open ground. They are supremely adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. Their natural greyish or brownish color with dark web-like markings on the back, help blend them in on the muddy floor. With their bulging eyes set high on the head, they are able to detect predators approaching from above while remaining concealed. Furthermore, running along either side of the flanks is a line of white ‘stitch-like’ markings. These ‘stitches’ house sensory organs that pick up the vibrations of approaching predators, or prey. With the aid of the small forelimbs which are furnished with three elongated clawed toes, any food straying close enough is quickly shoveled into the mouth. These frogs have ravenous appetites and will take worms, aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles and small fish.

Female Xenopus can be identified by their visible cloacae lips that form a tube-like organ. As with other frogs, the male develops a nuptial pad on toes one to three during the breeding season. When a pair locate one another, the male simply ‘bearhugs’ the female in an embrace called amplexus. During this embrace the pair will swim around performing underwater acrobatics while spawning. Spawning usually coincides with the rainy season. As the eggs are released, they slowly sink to the bottom of the river bed where they embed themselves in the muddy bottom. Within two or three days the eggs will hatch into fish-like tadpoles bearing long threadlike gills. Metamorphosis takes five to seven weeks, with females maturing slightly quicker than males. Sexual maturity can be attained in as little as twelve months.

" Simply referred to as Xenopus, this frog was once used as a test to determine whether a woman was pregnant or not."

Poisonous Skin -My favorite frog that I come across every so often, was the Banded Rubber Frog, Phrynomantis bifasciatus. It is a beautifully marked frog of contrasting orange and black and reaches a length of 5.5cm (males), 6.5cm (females). By nature it is a nocturnal frog that can be found some considerable distance from a source of water. During the day it lies up in a shallow scrape beneath a rock, log or amongst crevices where conditions are moist. At night it emerges and begins to forage for small nocturnal insects.

The milkiness of this Rubber frog is the poison released from the skin

I have read a few accounts of this frog being adept at climbing. I’m not sure how common an occurrence this is, as all the individuals I have ever found have been on the ground. I know quite a few of these accounts were based on captive observations and this may not necessarily translate into wild individuals. Captive animals often display behaviors that are not indicative of their wild counterparts and often manifest due to being kept in the confinement of a small space. Known locally as the Fire Frog, due in part to its red coloration, there are several ways in which this frog differs from other frogs. Firstly, it walks rather than hops. But possibly the most intriguing feature is that it can project its tongue to the side of its head in order to capture food; something other frogs cannot do. The bold markings act as a warning to would-be predators to ‘leave well alone’. When threatened, this frog inflates its body and raises itself up off the ground with its head pointing downwards. The skin bears quite a potent poison. On unbroken skin it causes no harm, but get it in an open wound and it can cause swelling at the wound area, an increase in heart rate, headache and nausea. As far as I am aware it is not fatal, and the symptoms usually subside in a few hours. However, I suspect that it may be a different story if you were to put your fingers in your mouth after handling an individual, or an animal were to eat a frog. During the dry season, Rubber Frogs take refuge in burrows, or termite mounds. I have even found them in soft sandy soil, meaning they have the ability to ‘dig’ down into the surface, even though the hind feet lack the ‘digging’ structures indicative of other burrowing species such as Spadefoot Toads (Scaphiopodidae) Breeding coincides with the onset of the rainy season. Males and females will gather around temporary pools of water and begin mating. Up to 1000 eggs may be laid that hatch in around four days, with tadpoles metamorphosing in around 30 days. Should the rains not come, breeding may be offset until the following year.

Herpetoculture Magazine 12

Young African bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus

A giant amphibian & Singers of the Delta -Although I didn’t find any adults, I did stumble across ponds full with young African bullfrogs, Pyxicephalus adspersus. This bullfrog is the largest amphibian found in Southern Africa at 20cm. With its stumpy legs, small head and colossal mouth, this bullfrog is essentially little more than a walking stomach. Well, they don’t do much walking, as they spend much of their time shuffled in a depression in the ground where they lethargically wait to ambush anything they consider remotely edible, including; insects, earthworms, rodents, and even small snakes. Young and adult alike, practice cannibalism. I found numerous small individuals with their mouths bursting at the seams while trying to swallow a sibling as big as themselves. In the Okavango Delta I encountered numerous tiny multicolored reed frogs, or whistling frogs as they are locally known. You become aware of these little frogs as the sun begins to set. They have a repertoire of delightful whistling songs. As I lay beneath my tarp, I drifted off into dreamland being serenaded by the chirping of crickets, and these wonderful little frogs whistling. The still night air was awash with an astonishing array of different frogs calling. Each species has its own slightly different song, and once you get to know them, you can identify the species. This, to me, summed up what Africa is all about. I was surprised with the number of frogs and toads that I actually found; unfortunately many of which I have yet to identify. But it just goes to show you never know what’s around until you begin searching for it. And Botswana threw up a few pleasant surprises when it came to amphibians.

Reed frogs were plentiful in the Delta and filled the air with their whistling songs

Specializing in Morelia & Old World Ratsnakes.

uwabamireptiles.com @uwabamireptiles

Feeding Great Feeders By Justin Smith

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

Every aspect of animal husbandry is important. Whether it is caging, lighting, temperature control, or supplementation, it all adds up! One aspect of this that I believe is widely overlooked is feeder quality and health. The age old saying of “you are what you eat” isn’t just applicable to us humans, it spans to all pets and animals in captivity. Ask yourself this. Do you know what your feeder rodents are fed or how they are kept?

The husbandry practices in herpetoculture seem to lag far behind the more traditional pet market like one would see with dogs and cats. In recent years there has been a very serious push for high quality foods for people’s furry pets and a serious shift in the level of care those pets are receiving. Cheap foods or kibbles that contained questionable ingredients are now taking a backseat to the high quality, more expensive brands. The question I ask myself is, why aren’t we thinking of feeder rodents in a similar manner? I understand that a large majority of people don’t have the space and/or time to dedicate to even a small breeding group of rodents. I consider myself very fortunate to have the resources to maintain a small operation for myself but it has continually made me think about the current state of bulk feeder rodents. For those of you who are either breeding your own feeders already or if you are thinking about getting a colony together, this article will hopefully give you some ideas of what you can do to get the best quality feeders possible! To start I should mention that I was at one point feeding a standard grade dog food to my feeders. I regularly noticed that some mice would get these fatty, tumorous knots on their bodies. My friends Pia and Cody Bartolini of the Reptile Preservation Institute breed their own feeders and use Flint River Mills 18-5 Rodent Pellet with no issues so I managed to track some down at a feed and seed about an hour away from me. This has been a great rodent diet for me and it doesn’t break the bank. With feeding that I also drew inspiration from Kyle Vargas who was a guest on The Herpetoculture Podcast (episode #83) in 2020. He takes his feeder diet very seriously offering his natural grasses, seeds, and nuts. With that in mind, I went to my local Tractor Supply Company and did some shopping. TSC has been a great source for a lot of my herp room needs with the convenience of being nearby when I need something in a pinch. Rather than spend a ton of money on bedding from the bigger pet store chains, TSC has large bales of pine shavings for at least half the price of what I would pay elsewhere.

"Cheap foods or kibbles that contained questionable ingredients are now taking a backseat to the high quality, more expensive brands. The question I ask myself is, why aren’t we thinking of feeder rodents in a similar manner?" 16

This is also where I get my bird seed blend which is the Royal Wing Total Care Fruit & Nut Blend. I like this blend because it has a nice variety of options for my feeders to snack on like cherries, raisins and papaya. I do like to occasionally change it up and get the Trail Mix with Mealworms blend. The ingredients listed are Black Oil Sunflower Seed, Dehulled Sunflower Seed, Peanuts, Striped Mixed Feed Nuts, Raisins, Dehydrated Papaya, Dehydrated Cherries, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin A Supplement,vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin, D-calcium Pantothenate. The third portion of the diet that I offer my feeders is either Dumor brand timothy hay, alfalfa hay, or orchard grass. This not only offers another source of fiber and other nutrients but my breeders love to use it for nesting. Twice a week all my groups get a new clump in a corner of the tub as well as some more seed blend. A single bag of one of these hays lasts me a few weeks and usually only costs around nine dollars. So with the FRM, Royal Wing, and grass offerings, I believe my feeders are getting a nice varied diet that isn’t too reliant on one over the others. Since I’ve kept my feeders on this sort of diet, those mystery lumps that I was getting before with dog food have disappeared. The litters the adult groups are dropping are high volume and healthy! If you have the ability, space, and time to start your own colony of feeder rodents I can’t suggest it enough! The peace of mind in knowing what is going into your feeders (thus into your animals) is well worth breeding them alone. For years we’ve blindly trusted the bulk sellers with our feeders without any idea of the diet and conditions they’re kept in. We all spend a lot of money to give our animals the best level of care possible, why isn’t the quality of the feeders we offer them a top priority?

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

A while ago, I got an Eighteen Cube from Focus Cubed Habitats. My plan was to use this cage for one of my jagpondros. I always heard good things about the new Focus Cubed Habitat cages so I decided to

Product Review Focus Cubed Habitats Eighteen Cube

By Billy Hunt

see for myself. With all the different cage manufactures out there now, how can one company stand out? Honestly, my thought was a pvc cage is a pvc cage, right? That is where I was wrong. I have been keeping for a little bit now and have dealt with multiple caging companies. First thing that comes to mind is Stephen and Ashley’s customer service. They replied to questions quickly and the cage itself was made and shipped within a very reasonable timeframe. I have followed their social media pages since they started and they have been putting out a large volume of cages for quite some time now. To be able to do the numbers they do, reply to messages as fast as they do, and consistently put out a top-notch product, shows that Stephen and Ashley are professionals that take pride in their products during all phases of pre and post production. Now onto the cage itself. The cage is black pvc cage with perches for a green tree python type of set up. I decided to keep it simple. That is one place that Focus Cubed Habitats shines. You can get your basic design or you can also customize your cage with a ton of different add ons. I ended up going with clear acrylic perches with the T-bar style perch holders. As a keeper of arboreal species, these perch holders make it so easy to remove and replace the perch. I have other cages with perch holders that are difficult to remove and replace. The perches I received from Focus Cubed Habitats fit perfectly. I don’t have to angle one side of the perch (anyone with removable perches should know what I’m talking about), they fit perfectly level to the perch holders. Another thing that I really liked was the rear CNC cord slots for probe, lighting, and heating cords. I have kept Morelia for a long time and I have come to terms with the fact that the cages I have that I had to drill my own cord slots are always going to result in the snake crawling over the cord and pulling slack into the cage. It’s a battle I have learned I won't win in those cages. Focus Cubed thought about the little things to set themselves apart from the rest. I have had zero issues with cord management with this cage. The next thing that stands out about this cage model is the sideview viewing windows. This is something I have never seen a pvc cage company do. I assume it is because of the extra

work and materials it takes to pull this off. I personally like the side view windows since it gives you a chance to observe your animal from more than just the front of the cage. I thought this was a nice touch. Another thing I like about this cage is the multiple latches for the door. There is absolutely no way any animal can push and open this door. All the latch points make it so the door is as secure as it can be without permanently sealing the door shut. So, I kept my cage in my snake room. It held temps perfectly and I also decided to get the dimmable lighting package with my cage. I never thought of dimmable lights in a snake cage before but it made so much sense to me once I started using this one. Having the ability to control the amount of light in the cage just gives you more options. That is the theme to Focus Cube Habitats, options. You have so many options that you can truly get a cage that is custom made for you that no one else has. Between color of pvc, splatter paint, acrylic perches, carbon fiber perches, ventilation options, door knob color, hardware color, heat panel installation, stainless screen for the top if you want to use a dome light, screen for if you want to use UVB lighting, the list goes on and on. You can definitely make a one-of-a-kind cage with Focus Cube Habitats that is tailored specifically for your needs in your room and for your animal. So, the final verdict. I highly recommend any cage from Focus Cubed Habitats for all the reasons I listed above. They have truly thought of the little things and you can tell that they are keepers first and cage builders second. They have thought of many of the things that most other cages fall short on. So, if you are in the market for a new pvc cage, give Focus Cubed Habitat a thought. They will certainly get you something you will keep for years to come.

Herpetoculture Magazine

Frogs! Ph oto >

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Save The

Ecotours protect vulnerable, biodiverse lands, provide one on one amphibian experiences and foster new visions for individual conservation efforts and careers! 19 Herpetoculturemagazine.com

SAVE THE FROGS! is a worldwide movement dedicated to protecting amphibians from extinction. A portion of their mission is to educate and empower people to become stakeholders in amphibian conservation through first-hand experience via ecotours.

SAVE THE FROGS! has led ecotours in Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru while they are continuously developing amazing new ecotours around the world. The ecotours take adventurous, nature-loving individuals to the most biodiverse places on the planet and teach them all about wildlife and the natural world. On a SAVE THE FROGS! Ecotour, there are lots of amphibians, guest-loving locals, opportunities to connect with other SAVE THE FROGS! supporters, beautiful places to visit, great food, and unforgettable experiences. All STF participants can search for a variety of frogs, walk hand-picked nature trails, observe wildlife on private boat cruises thru dense jungles, traverse a canopy skywalk, learn all about amphibians, tropical rainforests and environmental conservation. Ecotourism provides dollars for local economies, and delivers a sustainable value to the families and governments. Keeping the trees yields more money than deforestation. If land or forest is not protected, it would likely get destroyed to make way for agriculture, businesses, etc. SAVE THE FROGS! ecotours support local communities that are dedicated to protecting the wildlife and the land. The tours reliably increase volunteer engagement and are a strong fulcrum where families can share their experience, authors will write about it, and students have a preview of environmental or conservation careers.

Herpetoculture Magazine

Overview SAVE THE FROGS! is an environmental education organization and government-approved public charity. It educates and empowers people to protect amphibian populations through a variety of strategies: Academy: SAVE THE FROGS! online courses have trained thousands of students and professionals. Additionally, there are a multitude of educational videos freely available on the SAVE THE FROGS! YouTube Channel. Events: Save The Frogs Day is the world’s largest day of amphibian education and conservation activities. Held the last Saturday of April annually, it’s proven to be the best way to share the mission, get people actively saving frogs, get volunteers, build publicity, and to raise money for conservation efforts. Since 2009, the day has grown from 40 events in 15 countries, to 142 events in 28 countries. The organization provides educational materials and inspiration that creates enthusiasm among volunteers, and framework for a successful event. Save The Frogs Day is an easy entry for students and teachers to become involved, and schools have been terrific supporters of having a day solely focused on amphibians.

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Wetlands Creation: SAVE THE FROGS! has been actively building wetlands across the USA and Mexico. The wetlands creation sequence is repeated each time: design, fundraising, materials procurement and the build. Some of the humancentric benefits of these wetlands projects include amphibian education for both community and volunteers, connection with other environmentally-minded people and tangible experiences before, during and after the build. The amphibians gain essential habitat and stakeholding caretakers for future generations. US Forest Service staff and volunteers from SAVE THE FROGS! and other organizations recently built wetlands for California Red-Legged Frogs (Rana draytonii) in Tahoe National Forest over 30 consecutive days, with over 100 volunteers. SAVE THE FROGS! is currently planning to build wetlands in the southernmost range of the California RedLegged Frogs in northwest Mexico. Art Contest: SAVE THE FROGS! holds a global art contest that spans many countries, including Russia and China. In 2020, 51 countries and 1,468 persons participated. The contest is open to all ages, across all media, and is free to enter. This year’s contest is open now, and the cutoff for acceptance is November 1, 2021. Visit www.savethefrogs.com/art for full details.

Grants Program: SAVE THE FROGS! is providing approximately $10,000 in grants this year to amphibian projects across the US and around the globe that demonstrate a clear benefit to the conservation of amphibian populations. Projects center around research, education, policy, and/or habitat. Since 2009, SAVE THE FROGS! has disbursed $101,398 in grants, to 47 amphibian conservationists in 16 countries (Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Estonia, Ghana, India, Liberia, Madagascar, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Paraguay, Tanzania and the USA). Annual application deadline is March 1st.

STF Achievments Worldwide Reach: SAVE THE FROGS! has impacted amphibian conservation efforts in 57 different countries. Volunteers have been able to start their own nonprofits and embark on their own conservation careers. Some who volunteered as kids are now going on to college and choosing conservation curriculum, or they’re volunteering while in college and they choose amphibian conservation jobs.

Costa Rica

Education: Over three million people have been engaged via the SAVE THE FROGS! website, which offers over 1,000+ freely accessible articles, conservation action steps and tools that help individuals and organizations thrive in their direct actions. Politics and Culture: SAVE THE FROGS! has been tremendously successful changing laws and viewpoints. A few examples include: - Co-authoring a petition that led to the federal prohibition on importation and interstate transportation of 201 salamander species, thereby reducing the likelihood of infectious disease spread.

India

- Spearheading an effort that resulted in California Governor Jerry Brown signing his approval of a bill that made the California Red-Legged Frog the state’s official amphibian. - Construction / restoration of 29 wetlands in America, involving over a thousand volunteers. - Inspiring tens of thousands of people to sign petitions and submit letters of comment to government agencies on a variety of campaigns, including the banning of harmful pesticides; preventing mining of amphibian habitats; and listing of threatened amphibian species under state and federal endangered species acts, including a campaign, in which SAVE THE FROGS! supporters contributed over 95% of the comments received by the federal government, leading to the National Park Service removing non-native fish from over 60 water bodies in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Ecuador

Global Efforts

Ameerega hahneli

Ghana: In just eight years, SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana staff and volunteers have planted more than 15,000 trees to reforest habitat for critically endangered Giant Squeaker Frogs. Numerous undergraduates have been trained in amphibian biology and field techniques. Villagers have been trained in beekeeping, so they do not have to chop trees to collect wild honey. SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana campaigned for the creation of a new national park to protect the Togo Slippery Frog, which is known to survive in only two streams. Peru: Currently, volunteers are using discarded plastic to provide breeder boxes for indigenous poison dart frogs. These are placed in tree trunks on land that a local nonprofit is managing on behalf of the local government. The frogs absolutely use them, and this will help boost their numbers in the coming years. Efforts have also focused on Giant Junin Lake Frog conservation, under threat from agricultural runoff, polluted drainage systems, and over-harvesting. There is tremendous work being carried out via education, research and management to preserve and recover frog populations.

A Palm Tree Frog of Ecuador

"SAVE THE FROGS! has impacted amphibian conservation efforts in 57 different countries. Volunteers have been able to start their own nonprofits and embark on their own conservation careers." India: SAVE THE FROGS! India is focused on the protection of threatened amphibian species and their habitats throughout India, and the environmental education of the next generation of Indians. Since 2009, India has been one of the most active countries in the STF worldwide community. They regularly participate in various activities for frog’s conservation, including monitoring and using visual and acoustic tools; all the efforts are improving the opportunities for frog survival in India. Their annual Save The Frogs Day event includes seminars, a drawing competition, a quiz competition, a children’s dress-up Frog Race, a Community Awareness Rally, and a demonstration of road safety for frogs. Bangladesh: SAVE THE FROGS! Bangladesh is dedicated to protecting Bangladesh’s amphibian populations and to promoting a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. Bangladesh is home to 37 known species of amphibians, many of which are facing extreme threats due to the country’s dense human population. Habitat destruction and harmful pesticides are contributing to the decline of amphibians in Bangladesh. SAVE THE FROGS! Bangladesh was the first Asian branch of USA-based SAVE THE FROGS!, and has been active raising awareness, educating their community, and facilitating positive changes for amphibians since 2009.

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Ecotour locations are chosen for their concentrated amphibian biodiversity and relative ease to travel to, along with stable governments. Full details at: www.savethefrogs.com/costarica2021 Upcoming Ecotours: Costa Rica: November 2021 June 2022 July 2022

Classic Ecotour Families Ecotour Osa Peninsula

Open to anyone Bring children 6+ and grandparents Experienced hikers

SAVE THE FROGS! Custom Ecotours are designed for wildlife enthusiasts who want to visit amazing natural areas, find and photograph amphibians, and learn about ecology — at a time and place of their own choosing. Custom Ecotours allow your private group of friends, family and/or colleagues a fully immersive experience.

Dr. Kerry Kriger Dr. Kerry Kriger is the Founder of SAVE THE FROGS! and organizer of the SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit. SAVE THE FROGS! is a worldwide movement dedicated to protecting amphibians from extinction. He has coordinated over 2,100 educational events in 57 countries.

STF Founder: Dr. Kerry Kriger

He conceived and coordinated Save The Frogs Day, the world’s largest day of amphibian education and conservation action, raised over $1,500,000 for amphibian conservation efforts, and created the savethefrogs.com website. Prior to starting SAVE THE FROGS! in 2008, he read about Earth First! and volunteered for Sea Shepherd. These organizations are structured around taking actions and making change. He didn’t know about nonprofits, or how they worked at that time, but he jumped in with both feet and founded SAVE THE FROGS!. Since then, Dr. Kriger has shared the structure of environmental non-profit advocacy and engagement. He thanks the innumerable frog-focused volunteers across the globe in making SAVE THE FROGS! an impactful global conservation organization.

The vision STF is actively working to empower the greatest number of people to protect amphibian populations; whether they have zero experience or are a professional conservationist. SAVE THE FROGS! offers numerous opportunities to make a difference, get connected and grow. Learn more, and consider making a donation today at: www. savethefrogs.com/donate

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