Amphibian Ark

Amphibians are an important component of the global ecosystem as indicators of environmental health and contributors to human health. Today, over 30% of all amphibian species are threatened with extinction. Addressing the amphibian extinction crisis represents the greatest species conservation challenge in the history of humanity.

The Amphibian Ark (AArk) is an integral part of the response of the global conservation community. The mission of the AArk is to safeguard select species that would otherwise go extinct in captivity until they can be secured in the wild. Without immediate captive management as a stopgap component of an integrated conservation effort, hundreds of species could become extinct. The AArk is a joint effort of three principal partners: the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), and the IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG).

The vision of the AArk is the world’s amphibians safe in nature, and the mission is ensuring the global survival of amphibians, focusing on those that cannot currently be safeguarded in nature.
www.amphibianark.org

Impact at The Greenville Zoo

The Greenville Zoo has a small breeding group of Golfodulcean poison frogs native to Costa Rica. It is one of many endangered species of amphibian(s) that has scientists worried throughout the world. This species gives the zoo the opportunity to educate our visitors about the Amphibian Crisis currently taking place throughout the world.