Indicators of Success

Data-Driven Dedication

When Denver Zoo began our Peruvian Field Conservation work in 2008, we started with research to understand the unique challenges these species were facing. Our team found that both frogs were facing three main threats: pollution and water fluctuation caused by nearby mines, dams and human populations; illegal poaching for human consumption, as part of a traditional delicacy; and disease, particularly the infectious fungus responsible for amphibian population declines on a global scale, chytrid.  

Complex challenges, of course, demand detailed solutions. In order to influence long-term change, we must support our wildlife work with a spectrum of holistic conservation efforts in the communities we serve. Here’s a quick overview of our multi-pronged approach. 

Helping Endangered Frogs Bounce Back

RESEARCH: Our ongoing conservation efforts involve working with our Peruvian colleagues to develop and implement training programs to monitor frog population trends due to increasing anthropogenic (human-caused) pressures—as well as foundational studies on the chytrid fungus. 

OUTREACH: We work with multiple partners to raise awareness with a variety of local and global outreach campaigns and events—from World Frog Day and related species awareness day events to Frog Guardians community science volunteers to high-profile media campaigns and more.   

CAPACITY STRENGTHENING: To be successful in the long term, any conservation strategy needs to ensure there is sufficient capacity to support it. Denver Zoo worked with local partners to co-author the first-ever published conservation strategies for Lake Titicaca and Junín frogs.  

These strategies included our support of student research at Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University, ranger training for Titicaca National Reserve and Junín National Reserve staff and more—as well as the founding of a women’s collective in Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Ccori Ampara makes a variety of frog-related handicrafts which they sell to community members and tourists, spreading awareness to their communities gaining supplemental income.  

Making Our Success Scalable 

For much of the 20th century, coal miners used caged canaries to measure the health of their working environment. While today, we have electronic detectors to do the dirty work underground, above the surface we still rely on animals to tell us how certain ecosystems are faring. Collecting data on indicator species is often a critical first step to developing long-term conservation strategies and Nature-Based Solutions that are holistic, successful—and ultimately, scalable.