Ecology & Conservation Of The Bolivian Water Frogs (Telmatobius)

Speaker: Arturo Muñoz

Recorded during the SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit, April 6th, 2022

The water frogs of the genus Telmatobius are a group of aquatic and semi-aquatic amphibians found throughout the Andes Mountains, from Ecuador through to Chile and Argentina. Due to the highly restricted ranges of many of the species, alongside the impacts of human exploitation and habitat disturbance, 54 of the 63 Telmatobius species are classified as threatened by the IUCN Red List. Bolivia alone houses fourteen Telmatobius species, all of which are threatened and thirteen of which are endemic to the nation. However, very little is known about the geographic distribution, natural history or conservation status of the majority of Bolivian Telmatobius species, with several known only from museum specimens collected during their initial observation.

Over the past decade, research and conservation efforts focusing on three Bolivian Telmatobius species (the Titicaca, Sehuencas and Sucre water frogs) have revealed rapid declines in their population sizes, leading to serious concern about their chances of persistence. Here, we share some examples of what has been done to better understand and protect these three species, information that will prove imperative for the prioritization of future research and conservation actions. We aim to demonstrate how we are working to guarantee a more effective allocation of efforts and resources for the conservation of these species and share a couple of case studies that showcase both the successes and failures of amphibian conservation.