Authors

Rudolf von May, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Alessandro Catenazzi, University of California - Berkeley
Ariande Angulo, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Jason L. Brown, East Carolina University
Jorge Carrillo, Cooperación Técnica Alemana
German Chavez, Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad
Jesus H. Cordova, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Aleyda Curo, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad
Amanda Delgado, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad
Marco A. Enciso, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa
Roberto Gutierrez, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa
Edgar Lehr, Natural History State Collections Dresden
Jorge L. Martinez, Investigación y Manejo de Áreas Naturales
Margarita Medina-Muller, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Alfonso Miranda, Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca
Daniel R. Neira, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa
Jose A. Ochoa, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad
Aaron J. Quiroz, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa
Daniel A. Rodriguez, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Lily O. Rodriguez, Cooperación Técnica AlemanaFollow
Antonio W. Salas, Jr. Moreno Alcalá 241
Tracie Seimon, Columbia University
Anton Seimon, Wildlife Conservation Society
Karen Siu-Ting, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San MarcosFollow
Juana Suarez, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Claudia Torres, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
Evan Twomey, East Carolina University

Date of this Version

12-1-2008

Document Type

Article

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.

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