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Help save the frogs of Panama
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Amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians (a slender, legless amphibian found primarily in tropical areas), are very important to the environment as they feed on insects (including mosquitoes!) and provide food for animals like snakes, birds, and mammals. The young tadpoles help to control the amount of algae that grows on the rocks in the streams. Furthermore, the songs and sightings of frogs are typically welcomed by human visitors, especially those traveling in Panama where amphibian diversity is amazingly high.
A salander found in Panama (photo by Julie Ray)
Amphibians are declining worldwide because of a number of factors. Such include habitat loss, disease, over-collection for the pet trade or food, and intentional killings. Over the past 10 -15 years the frogs in Panama have been declining, especially in the mid-elevation cloud forests. Some of these species are found no where else on earth and they are going extinct.
This tragic loss in Panama has been attributed to a fungus called chytridiomycosis (chytrid, for short), that coats the skin of many species. Amphibians readily breathe through their skin (some species do not even have lungs or gills!) and, with a coating of the fungus, cannot respire efficiently, eventually leading to their death. When chytrid invades a location (how is still unclear to biologists, although it is known to be transported in mud), it leads to the death of upwards of 60% of the amphibian species in just a few months! This devastating disease has spread from west to east through Panama and in 2008 crossed the Panama Canal into the Darien region. Chytrid also has been documented in the United States, Australia, and South America, to name a few places. Sadly, amphibians are not recovering from this attack and actions must be taken to help preserve amphibians from extinction!
A glassfrog (photo by Julie Ray)
It is imperative for everyone (even if just taking a short hike around your resort or a city park) to take some easy steps to help conserve the frogs that are still surviving in the wild. Here are some tips:
1. Wash your car! If you rent or own a car in Panama, stop by a car wash before you travel to your next designation, especially if entering another area of Panama. Car washes are found in most towns (or ask a local person with a hose and they will happily wash your car for a couple of dollars). The cost of most carwashes ranges from $2-$5 and the employees will typically clean off the floor mats and inside dashboards. Be sure they hose off the undercarriage and tires of the car until they are free of mud.
*Note: although most people in Panama are honest, a friend of mine had her camera stole from the car while it was being washed. It is best to remain with your vehicle.
2. Wash your clothing! If you are hiking in the woods and have accumulated mud or plant debris (where chytrid may survive) on your clothing, stop by a Laundromat or throw your clothes in the machine at the hotel.
3. Wash your boots! Mud (where chytrid may survive) easily accumulates in the traction on the bottom of your boots or shoes. Be sure to hose them off and, if possible, spray the bottoms with a 10% bleach solution. This will kill the chytrid.
If you are unable to get to a Laundromat or hose, set your clothes and boots out in the sun for a couple of hours. High temperatures also will kill the chytrid.
4. Take only pictures! Handling frogs and other amphibians can cause great stress especially if you have applied insect repellent to your hands (the repellent can be soaked up by the skin of the amphibian and may lead to death). It is best to take only pictures of all animals you see and let them remain in their natural environment unharmed.
5. Clean all of your equipment! Be sure to thoroughly clean all of your equipment, including your backpack, tripod legs, clothing, etc. when you return home. Use a 10% bleach solution whenever possible. This will help insure that chytrid (or other diseases or invasive species) is not spread to the next place you visit.
Panama´s Golden Frog (photo by Julie Ray)
Interested in learning more about the amphibians of Panama? An amphibian conservation center has recently opened in El Valle de Antón (Coclé Province). El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center ( or Centro de Conservación de Anfibios de El Valle; EVACC) is located at the El Nispero Zoo (look for the sign pointing down the road Carlos Arosemna Guardia near the ATM and Melo in the center of town; phone: [011-507] 983-6142). The center features exhibits of native Panamanian frogs, an informative video, and educational information. Behind the scenes employees, zoos, and scientists are working together to establish captive breeding programs for the most endangered Panamanian frogs.
Check out the recent PBS Nature show, Frogs: The Thin Green Line to learn about what is happening to the amphibians of the world and what people are doing to help. This film features shots from Panama and a section about EVACC.
You also can contact La MICA Biological Station to inquire about research on amphibian declines in central Panama. Summit Zoo in Panama City also is active in conservation of Panama’s amphibians. Visit the Save the Frogs! for a wealth of information and ideas of how you can help frogs around the world, including where you live.
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A treefrog (photo by Julie Ray)
The couple of minutes it will take you to clean off your footwear or have your vehicle washed will make a world of difference for the amphibians of Panama (and for those native to where you live). These tips can be applied to any natural area you visit, whether to hike, fish, camp, picnic, or whatever, around the world and I encourage you to share them with your friends and family. Help to save the world’s amphibians!
