Download and view FrogLog 103.
It has been an exciting couple of months for the ASG since the last edition of FrogLog. We have been communicating extensively with our Regional Groups to identify Chairs that will act as ASG focal points for the next quadrennium (four year working period for the IUCN). Almost all groups now have Chairs in place and discussions have begun to identify priorities for each group. As this edition focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa we would like to highlight the new and continuing Chairs from this region. Mark-Oliver Rödel, who served during the last quadrennium, will be continuing to drive forward ASG activities in West Africa. For East Africa, David Moyer will be stepping down and in his place Co-Chairs Victor Wasonga and Simon Loader will be leading the efforts. For Southern Africa, Alan Channing will be handing over to John Measey, and in Madagascar Franco Andreone will be continuing in his Co-Chair role; however, Herilala Randriamahazo will be passing his responsibilities onto the former ASG Madagascar Executive Secretariat Nirhy Rabibisoa. The experience and energy that comes with this team is a great sign of the potential for amphibian conservation in Africa, and we very much look forward to working with everyone in the region. As you will see from the articles included in this edition, there are already many fantastic initiatives in place and plenty of opportunity for further partnerships and investments. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who supported the ASG during the 2009-2012 quadrennium and welcome all the new Chairs for what we hope will be a very productive quadrennium.
In its capacity as a network the ASG strives to reach out to people and organizations working with amphibians to help build partnerships and share information. We are trying to do this in a number of ways, with the lead often coming from our members rather than the Executive Committee. The Amphibian Conservation special edition of Alytes (see page 9) is a great example of the type of material that can be produced through such collaborations. We encourage our members to read this edition to get a good sense of some current thinking within the community and hope it leads to constructive and lively debate. The Conservation Evidence initiative that is being run by the University of Cambridge is another great example of how we can come together as a community to share information to further amphibian conservation (please read the article on page 4 to find out how you can get involved in this ASG supported initiative).
As we move forward we will be sharing with you a range of different ideas and projects. How the ASG approaches these will be in direct response to member involvement. The ASG is not just a collection of people in appointed positions but a community, and as the Executive Committee we are here to help you meet your priorities as members.
News from the ASG
4 Amphibian Conservation – Call for Evidence
5 ASG/ARMI Seed Grant Award 2012
5 Lost Frogs update
6 Updated Regional Chairs 2012—2016
8 Survey: Joint Objectives in Disaster Risk Reduction and Environmental Conservation
8 Other Specialist Group News
9 New Special Alytes Issue on Amphibian Conservation
10 Amazing Species – A Call for Species Descriptions
11 A Survivor Against All Odds: A New Glass Frog from Manu National Park, Peru, Renews Hope for Amphibian Conservation
11 The Prince Charles Stream Tree Frog
Regional Updates
12 TRENTO 2012 African Amphibian Working Group
14 Conservation of the Western Leopard Toad by a Dedicated Multi-Stakeholder Group in the City of Cape Town
17 Ex-situ Amphibian Conservation in Southern Africa
20 Uncovering New Sites of a Cryptic KwaZulu-Natal Endemic
22 Hluleka Nature Reserve: Unexpected Amphibian Diversity
24 Frogs About Town: Ecology and Conservation of Frogs in the Urban Habitats of South Africa
25 First New Frog Discovery for Angola in 40 Years
26 Sahonagasy.org: A Web Platform Implementing Information Management and Citizen-Science for the Conservation of Malagasy Amphibians
29 The Conservation Effort for Two Critically Endangered Amphibian Species of the Ankaratra Massif, Boophis williamsi and Mantidactylus pauliani
32 Ex-situ Amphibian Conservation in the Frog Capital of Madagascar
34 Save The Frogs! Ghana Spearheading Efforts to Create a New National Park for the Protection of the Critically Endangered Togo Slippery Frog (Conraua derooi)
36 Differences in the Effects of Selective Logging on Amphibian Assemblages in Three West African Forest Types
Global News
37 You can call them Snot Otters, but don’t call Hellbenders Extinct
38 Understanding the Impact of Chemical Pollution on Amphibians