THE GOLDEN FROG

The golden frogs climb through the trees and rocks of the Panamanian rainforests
and between the holes of the branches and the stones, their young ones lie waiting
to see the light. This is just a portrait of the amphibian's way of life in his prosperous
years in the tropical forests of Panama, according to scholars. One of them is
Roberto Ibez, a biologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)
and director of STRI's Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, which
is being developed in Gamboa, and who assures that the situation Of the amphibian
today, 'is critical'.

In Panama, there are only about 50 animals in captivity and 2,000 in several zoos in
the United States.

"It is unknown if there are still golden frogs in the wild, but every effort is made to
rescue them from extinction in captivity," says Ibanez as he walks through the
reserve facilities developed to rescue amphibians from the deadly fungus
chytridiomycetes (Chytridiomicetus dendrobctides).

The species 'will be extinguished in a decade if the advance of the deadly chytrid
fungus is not stopped,' warns Edgardo Griffith, director of the Amphibian
Conservation Center of the Panamanian zoo of El Nspero in Penonom, in a
publication that hangs on the web.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 33% of

amphibians are threatened by the fungus. The fungus entered Panama in 1993
along the border of Costa Rica and has continued to spread from the west of the
country to the city, where between 2010 and 2011 its presence in the Soberania
National Park was detected.

Panama has two species of golden frogs, Atelopus zeteki and Atelopus varius, both
threatened by loss of habitat, illegal sale and fungus chytridiomycosis.

"We have small populations in the wild state of Atelopus varius, but Atelopus zeteki
does not have the same fate. The last time it was seen in the wild was in the year
2007. Both have populations in captivity ', but it is not known how many have been
wild', explain the biologists Rigoberto Daz, Jorge Guerrel, spokesmen of the
Gamboa project.

The Atelopus zeteki, considered the golden frog of Panama, bears the name of the
American scientist, James Zetek (1886 - 1959).

They belong to the order of the anura and are of the family of bufonidae (typical
toads). They measure 35-40 mm in length, males, and 45-55 mm in females.

The golden frog has become an ecological and cultural symbol of the country. For
the natives of our ancestors it was a very special animal. By their beauty, they
considered it worthy of veneration and copied it in talismans of gold and clay. And
since 2010, by law, every August 14 the species has its National Day. From August
13 to 17, the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project and STRI will
host the National Golden Frog Festival.

This frog, only 30 grams, is capable and has as much venom as to kill 10 adult men.
The Embera Indians already used this poison in their favor. They placed it on the
tips of their arrows and spears (hence their name dart) and thus killed their prey,
who fell struck.

The full name is golden venomous dart frog. It is the most poisonous animal in the
world.
THE PANAMANIAN FIGHT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE GOLDEN FROG

Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution in Panama, along with the Smithsonian

Conservation Biology Institute, have recently published an article that optimizes
sperm extraction protocols for Panama's frog, Atelopus zeteki, an iconic endangered
species.

This article is also extremely important because it contributes to increase the existing
knowledge about the reproduction of harlequines frogs.

Amphibians in danger of extinction

The research, which was published in the journal Theriogenology, was conducted
by Dr. Gina Della Togna, a Panamanian biologist who studied this charismatic
species at the National Zoological Park in Washington DC. The study characterizes
the pattern of response to treatments with different doses of artificial hormones, as
well as describes the morphology of sperm cells for the first time for this species.

This study is very important because it contributes with the basic knowledge of the
reproduction of a group of amphibians from Latin America that is in serious danger
of extinction and has been of great utility to help solve critical problems of
reproduction in the collection of Atelopus in captivity Which is located in Panama. It
has also allowed scientists to collect high-quality semen samples repeatedly to be
stored in genomic benches at any time of the year, without causing any harm to
animals.

This work opens the door for the development of other methods such as freezing
and storage of semen to preserve long-term integrity and genetic diversity in small
populations.

Research and conservation

This research is particularly relevant to the amphibian conservation efforts currently

being carried out in Panama at the Amphibian Conservation and Rescue Center.
This is where a breeding program is kept in captivity of five species of the genus
Atelopus, among others, which are in danger of extinction due to the deadly disease
chytridiomycosis, caused by a fungus.

"Successful breeding is key to any captive conservation program," said Dr. Roberto
Ibez, director of the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center at the
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. And this developed method has begun to
be applied to help produce offspring of four other species of harlequin frogs that are
in danger of extinction.
 Gina Della Togna, Panamanian biologist and Roberto Ibez, director of the
Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center at the Smithsonian Tropical
Research Institute / Photography: Amphibian Conservation and Rescue Program.
 Ministry of Education
General Residental Basic Education
Center Vista Alegre

Animals in danger of extinction of Panama

Name: Jordano A. Mendoza

Roney Quiel

Matter: English

Teacher: Delfina Mariela Quiroz

Level: 9 C

2017