title: Assessing the global zoo response to the amphibian crisis through 20-year trends in captive collections.
abstract: Global amphibian declines are one of the biggest challenges currently facing the conservation community, and captive breeding is one way to address this crisis. Using information from the International Species Information System zoo network, we examined trends in global zoo amphibian holdings across species, zoo region, and species geographical region of origin from 1994 to 2014. These trends were compared before and after the 2004 Global Amphibian Assessment to assess whether any changes occurred and whether zoo amphibian conservation effort had increased. The numbers of globally threatened species (GTS) and their proportional representation in global zoo holdings increased and this rate of increase was significantly greater after 2004. North American, European, and Oceanian GTS were best represented in zoos globally, and proportions of Oceanian GTS held increased the most since 2004. South American and Asian GTS had the lowest proportional representation in zoos. At a regional zoo level, European zoos held the lowest proportions of GTS, and this proportion did not increase after 2004. Since 1994, the number of species held in viable populations has increased, and these species are distributed among more institutions. However, as of 2014, zoos held 6.2% of globally threatened amphibians, a much smaller figure than for other vertebrate groups and one that falls considerably short of the number of species for which ex situ management may be desirable. Although the increased effort zoos have put into amphibian conservation over the past 20 years is encouraging, more focus is needed on ex situ conservation priority species. This includes building expertise and capacity in countries that hold them and tracking existing conservation efforts if the evidence-based approach to amphibian conservation planning at a global level is to be further developed.
authors.affiliation: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Freisha
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BP, United Kingdom.|Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000663:Amphibians / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000502:physiology*; D001947:Breeding; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000639:trends; D056727:Endangered Species; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: IUCN Red List; Lista Roja UICN; captive breeding; conservación ex situ; especies amenazadas; ex situ conservation; reproducción en cautiverio; threatened species