SAVE THE FROGS!
World Summit Online 2021
In an effort to spread the amphibian conservation knowledge far and wide, SAVE THE FROGS! is organizing the 2021 SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit Online, which will bring together amphibian conservation experts from around the world.
The World Summit will take place April 23rd & 24th, in celebration of the 13th Annual Save The Frogs Day.
If you seek frog saving knowledge and inspiration, the SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit is for you! Enter your contact info into the form and we will email you event details. The event is free to attend, and we encourage you to share this page with your friends, family and colleagues.
In an effort to spread the amphibian conservation knowledge far and wide, SAVE THE FROGS! organized the 2021 SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit Online, which brought together amphibian conservation experts from around the world. The event took place April 23rd & 24th, 2021 in celebration of the 13th Annual Save The Frogs Day.
The 2021 SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit Online was a huge success, with 10 speakers, 8 hours of presentations and 217 registrants representing 37 countries. As with all previous World Summits, the event was free for all to attend.
We are excited to have you join us for this worldwide celebration of amphibians.
Schedule Of Events
All Times Are Listed in US Pacific Timezone (Los Angeles)
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 23rd: 12:00-12:15pm
Welcome to the SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit
Dr. Kriger will give a brief overview of the 2021 SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit Online and also a brief history of past SAVE THE FROGS! World Summits, which have taken place in Ghana, India and online.
Rob Grasso
April 23rd: 12:15-1:00pm
Assisted Migration of California Red-legged frogs to Yosemite Valley, USA
Rob will discuss climate change and the assisted migration of endangered California Red-Legged Frogs (Rana draytonii) to a location in which they were not previously found.
Dr. Rafael Joglar
Photo of Eleutherodactylus coqui from Puerto Rico by Jan Zegarra, 2017 SAVE THE FROGS! Photo Contest
April 23rd: 1:00-2:00pm
Coquis And Climate Change On An Enchanted Island
Two central topics will be covered: Puerto Rican coquis and climate change. It will also be discussed what relationship exists, if any, between these two issues.
Six key questions will be answered about Puerto Rican coquis:
1. What is a coquí?
2. Why are they important?
3. How many species are there?
4. Is it easy to be a coqui?
5. Do the coqui face problems?
6. What can we do to help them?
Five key questions will be answered on climate change:
1. What is climate change?
2. What are its effects on Puerto Rico, if any?
3. What are its effects on Puerto Rican biodiversity?
4. What are its effects on the health of Puerto Ricans?
5. What can we do?
Mike Horton
April 23rd: 2:00-3:00pm
An Introduction to the United States Endangered Species Act
During this presentation an overview of the U.S. Endangered Species Act will be provided along with a demonstration of available tools for discovering what species may be present in an area, information about these species, and how different actions may affect them.
Dr. Felipe Toledo
April 23rd: 3:00-3:15pm
Chytrid in Brazil
I will talk about what we have found out about the chytrid fungus in Brazil and what we still need to know.
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 23rd: 3:45-4:00pm
Introducing The SAVE THE FROGS! Discord Community
The SAVE THE FROGS! Discord Community is the single best place to meet and interact with other frog lovers from around the world! Ask questions, share your knowledge and get advice on all things SAVE THE FROGS!. What more do you need to know? Oh…how to join! Just hop on over to…
Reynel Galvis Cruz
April 23rd: 6:15-6:30pm
SAVE THE FROGS! Colombia: An Effort In The Middle Of Armed Conflict
I have been working with SAVE THE FROGS! and Dr. Kerry Kriger since 2011, educating Colombians about frogs and nature conservation in Valle del Cauca and other regions of Colombia. I am going to talk about the awareness raising processes in schools, related to the conservation of amphibians in Valle del Cauca, Cundinamarca and Antioquia, and on the processes of knowledge generation in the midst of the armed conflict in Colombia.
Dr. Gururaja KV
April 23rd: 6:30-7:00pm
Natural History And Breeding Behaviour in an Ancient and Endemic Genus (Nyctibatrachus) in the Western Ghats of India
Nyctibatrachus is an ancient and endemic frog genus in the Western Ghats. There are 36 species in this genus. Many species have restricted distribution, while a few species are found in larger spatial extent across the Western Ghats. They inhabit perennial streams as well as forest floors, and exhibit diverse reproductive behavior. In this presentation, I will be showcasing some of these reproductive behaviors as well as current research.
Biraj Shrestha
April 23rd: 8:15-8:30pm
Protecting Amphibians Through Community Engagement (PACE)
Learn about the nitty-gritty of community-based amphibian conservation from long-time SAVE THE FROGS! Nepal volunteer, Biraj Shrestha, who produced a tutorial video on community engagement called PACE (Protecting Amphibians through Community Engagement). We will play and discuss the video as Biraj cannot attend this year’s Summit.
Engaging communities for biodiversity conservation is a paradigm shift, particularly in biodiverse regions, where human societies co-exist with nature. However, community engagement is an onerous task requiring clear vision, drive, and coherent strategy to achieve the pre-defined goals of conservation. Through the PACE film, we will walk you through the fundamentals of community engagement in amphibian conservation with actionable items linked to the conservation outcomes. If you are interested in community-based amphibian conservation, then this video is for you!
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 23rd: 8:30-9:00pm
Dr. Kerry Kriger & Arnold Levine on KOWS 92.5 FM Radio out of Occidental, CA
Arnold Levine will interview SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger about all things amphibian. This will be Dr. Kriger’s first appearance on Arnold’s show since 2013!
Dr. Kerry Kriger And Friends
April 24th: 8:00-9:00am
SAVE THE FROGS! Music Hour
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger will metamorphose into his role as Bansuri Bliss Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger and lead an hour of music featuring musicians from around the world:
Steve Andrews will perform his environmentally-themed songs “Where Does All The Plastic Go?” as well as “The Nightingale”. Steve is based in the UK and Portugal, and holds benefit concerts for SAVE THE FROGS!.
Jay Parikh will perform classical music of northern India on tabla (percussion).
Dr. Kerry Kriger will play ragas (traditional melodies from northern India) on bansuri (bamboo flute) and teach the fundamentals of scale and rhythm. He will also give a brief performance on dan moi (Vietnamese jaw harp).
Vivek Dhume (Toronto-based bansuri student of Dr. Kriger) will perform an ancient melody from northern India.
Evan Fraser cannot attend in person but has provided us a video that will showcase his unique musical talents. Even is a multi-instrumentalist, performer and recording artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Evan was the first musician to perform at the SAVE THE FROGS! Education Center in Berkeley, in 2013.
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 24th: 9:00-9:15am
SAVE THE FROGS! Poetry Recital
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger will recite frog poetry from the SAVE THE FROGS! Little Book of Frog Poetry, Vol. 1 and tell you where to get your own copy.
Dr. Karthikeyan Vasudevan
April 24th: 9:15-9:45am
Amazing Amphibians of India
With over 400 species and 70% endemic, India holds an amazing diversity of amphibians. Dr. Vasudevan is going to walk you through some of his experiences and learnings from studying these amazing vertebrates.
Sarbani Nag
April 24th: 9:45-10:00am
The Tale of a Tailed Amphibian
The Himalayan crocodile salamander is the only tailed amphibian found in India and has a very unique life history. It breeds in high altitude wetlands in monsoon and hibernates in winter. My talk will encompass its life history, distribution, behaviour and our recent finding its vocalisation.
Shibajee Mitra
April 24th: 10:00-10:15am
A Hidden Gem in the Backyard
This is the story of the discovery of a new frog species, the Brown Blotched Bengal Tree Frog (Polypedates bengalensis) from human settlements (backyards) on the outskirts of the City of Joy, Kolkata. The main message is that if you wants to do new research in this field, you just have to open your eyes and search around, rather than having to got to reserve forests or sanctuaries.
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 24th: 11:00-11:15am
SAVE THE FROGS! Grants Winners Announced
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger will announce the winners of the most recent round of SAVE THE FROGS! Grants. Since 2009, SAVE THE FROGS! has disbursed $101,398 in grants, to 47 amphibian conservationists in 16 countries. We send a big thank you to everyone who has ever donated to SAVE THE FROGS! and made these awards possible.
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 24th: 11:15-11:45am
Q & A with Dr. Kerry Kriger
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger will answer an array of questions he has received covering a wide spectrum of amphibian conservation issues, and will be available to answer your questions as well.
Dr. Kerry Kriger
April 24th: 11:45am-12:00pm
An Amphibious Closing Ceremony
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger will close out the 2021 World Summit Online with some final thoughts; a summary of important insights gained over the past 24 hours; and will lead a worldwide human frog chorus.
And now...
Meet the Presenters
We are pleased to bring together the following amphibian biologists and environmental conservationists, to raise awareness for endangered amphibians and provide you with numerous ways you can assist threatened wildlife and ecosystems in your own community
Dr. Kerry Kriger
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder, Executive Director, Ecologist & Webmaster
USA
Dr. Kerry Kriger is the Founder & Executive Director of SAVE THE FROGS!, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting amphibian populations. Dr. Kriger has given over 400 presentations on amphibian conservation in 19 countries. Under his leadership, SAVE THE FROGS! has protected, restored and created habitat for endangered amphibians; successfully campaigned for city, county, state and federal legislation to protect amphibians; and coordinated over 2,000 educational events in 62 countries.
Dr. Kriger holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He is a recognized expert on the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, a topic on which he has published 20+ articles in peer-reviewed international scientific journals. Dr. Kriger’s amphibian conservation efforts have been supported by the National Geographic Society, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Patagonia and various philanthropic organizations throughout the world.
Dr. Gururaja KV
Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology
“I am a batrachologist, studying anurans of the Western Ghats of India for the last 20 years. My work covers topics such as systematics, behavior, ecology, bioacoustics and landscape ecology. Working with amphibian researchers in India, I was able to discover 21 new frog species and described 3 novel breeding behaviors. Review of dancing frog family in India, breeding behaviour and parental care in bamboo breeding frogs and nights frogs some of highlights of the research. I received the Karnataka State Biodiversity Award for Excellence in 2016. I am part of the team that developed the first ever Android App on amphibians of India (Frog Find) and worked towards developing a Citizen Science Program called Frog Watch, India.”
Dr. Rafael Joglar
Proyecto COQUI
Rafael L. Joglar was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He obtained a bachelor’s degree (1976) and a master’s degree (1981) in Biology with a concentration in Zoology at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez Campus. In 1986 he completed his Ph.D. in Biology with a specialty in Systematics and Ecology at the University of Kansas. Since 1986 he has been a professor and researcher in the Department of Biology at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras.
He is the director and founder of the Coquí Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is the conservation of biodiversity throughout scientific research, habitat protection and environmental education. He was the Greater Antilles director of the Amphibian n Specialist Group of the International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN / SSC). He is the author of the first website (www.proyectocoqui.com) on environmental issues in Puerto Rico where you can find information, color images and the calls of the coquis of Puerto Rico. He is a founding member of RANA (Endangered Neotropical Amphibian Research and Analysis Network). Since 1994 be has worked in the development and establishment of the Museum of Natural History of Puerto Rico, a project that has not yet materialized.
He has published over 100 writings on the biodiversity of Puerto Rico, among them the following books: Los Coquíes de Puerto Rico: Their Natural History and Conservation (1998); Let the Coquí Sing! (1999); Biodiversity of Puerto Rico: Terrestrial Vertebrates and Ecosystems (2005); Biodiversity of Puerto Rico: Agustín Stahl, Flora, Hongos (2008); Biodiversity of Puerto Rico: Invertebrates (2014) and Urban Biodiversity (2017).
Since 1977 he has led excursions and expeditions to Mona Island, El Yunque, Carite, Toro Negro, Maricao, Vieques and Culebra, among other locations in Puerto Rico. He has participated in photographic expeditions in Alaska, Kenya, Australia, Ecuador (Galapagos and Amazon), Spain, Costa Rica and incredible India.
Dr. Karthikeyan Vasudevan
CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
I am a herpetologist and have been working on the ecology of frogs in different parts of India for over 20 years. I am interested in longterm monitoring of populations and understanding dynamics of amphibian chytridiomycosis in India. I am Co-Chair of the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group in South Asia region.
Mike Horton
SAVE THE FROGS! Board Of Directors
Michael Horton is an Endangered Species Act and landscape conservation planning expert with more than 35 years of conservation work experience. He spent more than 25 years working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the field, regional, and headquarters office levels. During his time with the Service he served as the first Habitat Conservation Plan Coordinator for northern California, the northeast region’s Habitat Restoration Coordinator, the National Section 7 Consultation Coordinator, and the first National IPaC Program Coordinator where he led the creation of the Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) decision support system. During this work Michael has been guided by the philosophy that regulatory consultation should be a collaborative partnership, helping involved parties work together toward shared solutions.
Biraj Shrestha
UC Santa Cruz
USA / Nepal
Biraj Shrestha is an ardent amphibian lover from a small town in Nepal. He grew up watching the frogs play in a puddle in his backyard and rejoiced at rumbling frog croaks during rainy nights as his lullaby. His love for frogs and reptiles led him to the conservation sector after obtaining his first Master’s degree in Environmental Science.
He has been a long time volunteer for SAVE THE FROGS!, and has carried out research and conservation projects from lowlands to the higher mountain belts in Nepal. He has educated thousands of people by holding Save The Frogs Day events in Nepal since 2013. He has published research papers on frogs, writes about frogs in his blog and other outlets, produced amphibian conservation outreach materials, showcased his work as an invited speaker in symposiums, and has been interviewed about his amphibian conservation journey. Biraj was awarded the title ‘Future Leader of Amphibian Conservation’ in 2017 during the Amphibian Conservation Research Symposium at the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Things got better in 2018 and finally Biraj lived his long-held ambition of going to a grad school in the US. In 2020, he earned a second degree from the prestigious University of California, Santa Cruz for MS in Coastal Science and Policy (CSP) program with full fellowship.
Currently, he sets foot in identifying safeguards to linear infrastructures in Nepal for wildlife dispersal and has a few community engagement amphibian conservation projects underway.
Rob Grasso
Yosemite National Park - National Park Service
Rob Grasso is an aquatic ecologist in Yosemite National Park and has over 20 years of agency experience working to restore amphibians in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
Shibajee Mitra
Badu Reptile Conservation Society (BRCS) and We Initiate Socio-Economic Harmony Foundation
Shibajee Mitra is a Naturalist and Wildlife Enthusiast from Kolkata. He holds his Master’s degree in Zoology and works on Rescue, Rehabilitation and Conservation of Wildlife outside protected areas. Although his main interest is in snakes (in which he has been working for 28 years), he is also passionate about other animals too. As he has interest in frogs too, he started working on frog conservation and awareness. In the year 2019, he and other researchers discovered a new frog species from the Kolkata outskirts.
Sarbani Nag
SAVE THE FROGS! India / WISH Foundation
I am the Secretary of SAVE THE FROGS! India and Founder of WISH Foundation. I have been working with amphibians for more than a decade. Currently I am educating people about the importance of this bio-indicator group by organizing awareness camps, workshops, competitions etc.
Reynel Galvis Cruz
SAVE THE FROGS! Colombia
I’m a biologist and science teacher in a high school in Medellin, Colombia. I’m a frog lover, and I like a lot to talk about Colombian frogs.
SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit Photo Gallery
SAVE THE FROGS!
World Summit
By The Numbers
21 Speakers From 11 Countries
World Summit speakers represented 11 countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Ghana, India, México, Nepal, Peru, United Kingdom and the USA.
11+ Hours Of presentations
Over eleven hours of amphibious education were delivered over the course of the event.
Zero Waste
No miles were travelled to organize this event and no flights were taken. No conference halls were paid for and no software was purchased. No staff or event planning firms were hired and no materials were printed.
Zero Funding
No grants or sponsorships funded this event, though we do thank all SAVE THE FROGS! donors and members whose ongoing contributions make events like the World Summit possible without external assistance.
Zero Ticket Sales
The SAVE THE FROGS! World Summit Online 2020 and all preceding World Summits have been completely free to attend.
515 Participants from 39 Countries
Participants hailed from Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, USA and Venezuela.
