# Reintroduction of the Kihansi Spray Toad



## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Golden toad saved from brink of extinction


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

bad ass!

is there still a risk of infection from BD?

james


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

toatally awsome.


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## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

When I first read the title I was super excited I thought you were referring to the species of Golden toad (Bufo periglenes) that went extinct from Costa Rica. 

Not that I am not excited/happy about this one.


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

It seems not too bright to re introduce the toad to the area with a dysfunctional waterfall which they need.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

billschwinn said:


> It seems not too bright to re introduce the toad to the area with a dysfunctional waterfall which they need.


I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that, Bill. Not only is the habitat unsuitable for them to exist longterm (the falls have been permanently altered), the presence of the fungus will take them out.

As far as the PR department is concerned, I'm sure this is all great news...but it doesn't do anything to solve the problem of habitat degredation and modification that helped snuff them out in the wild in the first place.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The waterfall and the chytrid are only part of the problem. The modifications to the habitat also encouraged other species of anurans to move into the habitat where they predated on the spray toads. 

I'm not sure that most of those toads are actually destined for reintroduction as they are being sent to the new propegation center.. I would suspect that there may be some release but most are going to end up in the center and thier offspring will be released. 

Ed


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

its probably a test to see if the new sprinkler system will work for the species in the future. otherwise, they would be releasing more than 100 out of 7000. also, if they can release enough toads, would it be possible for some of them to survive BD and pass that trait on? i know this has been mentioned elsewhere but im not sure if this particular species could do it.


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## Dendrobatid (May 6, 2010)

I had the great opportunity to work with this awesome species. There are a lot of political considerations to consider in regard to a possible reintroduction. The one thing I can say is that when you get the environmental conditions correct, this species will breed like a wild-fire!


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## slim (Sep 1, 2008)

Here is cool video of the toads.
Video -- "Extinct" Toad Thrives in Lab -- National Geographic


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## Feelin Froggy (May 12, 2011)

Very cool! Quick question... How many other species of toad/frog give live birth? Also, isn't there a south American species that raises offspring in its mouth??


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## melbel (Oct 5, 2010)

Feelin Froggy said:


> Very cool! Quick question... How many other species of toad/frog give live birth? Also, isn't there a south American species that raises offspring in its mouth??


There are frogs which develop inside a parent frog. Like the Pipa Pipa or Darwin Frog, but it is not a traditional live birth. Pipa Pipa eggs develop in the back of the mother and, when ready, newly formed froglets emerge from her back. It is cool and creepy to watch.


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

slim said:


> Here is cool video of the toads.
> Video -- "Extinct" Toad Thrives in Lab -- National Geographic


Not sure why they are using Zoomeds, Exo's are much easier to use IMO...LOL


cool video, they look quite a bit like reed frogs...

22 hours of misting?! they must have a permenently open drain in the tank or something...


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

melbel said:


> There are frogs which develop inside a parent frog. Like the Pipa Pipa or Darwin Frog, but it is not a traditional live birth. Pipa Pipa eggs develop in the back of the mother and, when ready, newly formed froglets emerge from her back. It is cool and creepy to watch.


Not all Pipa species hold the eggs until they develop into toadlets. Instead most of them simply hatch out as tadpoles. 

Ed


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

boabab95 said:


> Not sure why they are using Zoomeds, Exo's are much easier to use IMO...LOL
> 
> 
> cool video, they look quite a bit like reed frogs...
> ...


i wonedr if theyre sponsored by a tank manufacturer. i honestly would have expected custom built enclosures, or standard aquariums.

i wondered about the little misting tidbit there as well. 22 hrs seems really excessive, but it would explain the lack of substrate in the tanks, which would be completely saturated, and pretty useless.

james


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

22 hours is less than they experienced in their natural habitat: 24 hours of uninterrupted spray from a constantly spilling waterfall, constantly filling the gorge with mist.


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## JJuchems (Feb 16, 2004)

james67 said:


> i wonedr if theyre sponsored by a tank manufacturer. i honestly would have expected custom built enclosures, or standard aquariums.
> 
> james



I have seen the commercially available terrariums used at other institution.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

JJuchems said:


> I have seen the commercially available terrariums used at other institution.


Often they are either donated by the company or sold to the institution at a discount. 

Ed


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

At the Bronx Zoo back in May:


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

I was at the Bronx Zoo yesterday. Sorry about the clarity, camera was having a hard time focusing through the mist and water on the glass.

Edit: I'm unable to upload the pics of two of them mating. Any suggestions?


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

a lot of frogs in one tank!


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

jacobi said:


> I'm unable to upload the pics of two of them mating. Any suggestions?


ship them to me, i'll take pics and post them. problem solved!

james


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

james67 said:


> ship them to me, i'll take pics and post them. problem solved!
> 
> james


If they were mine there'd be enough for everyone! Apparently they are extremely prolific breeders. I wasn't able to locate someone who knew what they were being fed...


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

jacobi said:


> If they were mine there'd be enough for everyone! Apparently they are extremely prolific breeders. I wasn't able to locate someone who knew what they were being fed...


Springtails, mites, and if I remember correctly fruit flies. The adults can take a pinhead cricket but the best success was a result of effectively housing them in a large open topped springtail culture. That way they can provide UVB to the toads which has helped them a lot. 
They breed well but before the Zoos got the husbandry established there was a massive mortality to the point, where two zoos gathered all of the surviving animals to ensure enough to get the colonies going again. 

Ed


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