Research Article

Current state of conservation knowledge on threatened amphibian species in Peru [ pages 376-396 ]

Rudolf von May, Alessandro Catenazzi, Ariadne Angulo, Jason L. Brown, Jorge Carrillo, Germán Chávez, Jesús H. Córdova, Aleyda Curo, Amanda Delgado, Marco A. Enciso, Roberto Gutiérrez, Edgar Lehr, Jorge L. Martínez, Margarita Medina-Muller, Alfonso Miranda, Daniel R. Neira, José A. Ochoa, Aarón J. Quiroz, Daniel A. Rodríguez, Lily O. Rodríguez, Antonio W. Salas, Tracie Seimon, Anton Seimon, Karen Siu-Ting, Juana Suárez, Claudia Torres, Evan Twomey

Abstract
This study documents the current state of conservation knowledge on threatened amphibian species in Peru. Following the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification system, we considered species in the following categories: Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened. Even though only the first three categories are regarded as threatened by IUCN, we included the fourth category to make comparisons with the list of threatened species issued by the Peruvian government. We used the Global Amphibian Assessment’s database and the list issued in Peru for this comparison. We conducted separate field surveys in 17 regions of Peru to evaluate the presence/absence of threatened amphibian species and species that are potentially threatened. We also used the Declining Amphibian Database–DAPTF, to compare our results with previous assessments on population declines, and the World Wildlife Fund’s Wildfinder database, to determine in which Neotropical ecoregion each species occurs. We compiled data on 83 species, 44 of which are recognized as threatened by the IUCN and/or the Peruvian government. The remaining 39 species should be re-assessed as they face various threats. A re-evaluation of current estimates is needed as only 8% of all species recorded in Peru are recognized as threatened by the government, whereas the global estimate of threatened species is about 32%. In addition to using IUCN criteria, this re-assessment should follow national guidelines standardized in Peru and be in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Because the habitat of almost 40% of threatened species reported herein still remains unprotected, and data on chytridiomycosis and other threats are lacking for most taxa, it is crucial to develop strategies for habitat conservation and research on disease dynamics in natural populations.

Full Text PDF
General interest news article

Reader comments are generally moderated. If you find something inappropriate, please contact Tropical Conservation Science.

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other authors or Tropical Conservation Science.

Tropical Conservation Science is an open-access e-journal that publishes research relating to conservation of tropical forests and other tropical ecosystems.

Volume 1: Issue 3
Table of Contents

Articles
PDF
News article

All issues
Mar 2008
Jun 2008
Sep 2008
Dec 2008

Mar 2009
Jun 2009
Sep 2009
Dec 2009

Mar 2010
Jun 2010
Sep 2010
Dec 2010

Mar 2011
Jun 2011
Sep 2011
Dec 2011

Mar 2012
Jun 2012
Sep 2012
Dec 2012

Mar 2013
Jun 2013
Aug 2013
Sep 2013
Nov 2013
Dec 2013

Mar 2014
Jun 2014
Sep 2014
Dec 2014

Mar 2015
Jun 2015
Sep 2015
Dec 2015

Mar 2016
Jun 2016

Most downloaded
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
All time

ADVERTISEMENT

SEARCH

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.