Assessment Results
Craugastor stadelmani
Order:
Anura
Family:
Craugastoridae
Synonym(s):
Eleutherodactylus stadelmani
Assessed for:
Honduras
on:
10 May 2019
by:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop
Authors:
Cruz, G. & Wilson, L.D.
IUCN Global Red List:
Critically Endangered (CR)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Honduras
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
20.00211102
Recommended Conservation Actions:
Additional Comments:
If disease is shown to be a major threat, then surviving individuals might need to form the basis for the establishment of an ex-situ population.
Conservation actions needed: 3 Species management; 3.4 Ex-situ conservation; 3.4.1 Captive breeding/artificial propagation.
Because ex-situ conservation management might be needed if more specimens are found, it is suggested that an analog species, such as Craguastor aurilegalus or C. laevissimus, is brought into captivity to develop husbandry and breeding protocols that can be used as a template for this species (J. Kolby, F. Castañeda and L. Carrillo pers. comm. March 2019).
| Question # | Short Name | Question Text | Response | Comments |
| 1 | Extinction risk | Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] | Critically Endangered (CR) | |
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? | No / unlikely | Although formerly relatively common, this species is now in precipitous decline. Recent surveys indicate that it has disappeared from at least two of its three known localities (last seen in Texiguat in 1993), with no recent information from the third locality (Parque Nacional Pico Pijol). Until 2010, there were no records of this species since 1993; however, it was rediscovered in a stream in Reserva de Vida Silvestre Texíguat in April 2010 (McCranie et al. 2010). Two individuals were observed, but despite about two more hours of night searching along the stream, no other Craugastor were seen (McCranie et al. 2010). Surveys at Texiguat and Pico Pijol (2016-2018) but no individuals were observed; however, these were not targeted surveys for this species. The same for La Muralla (2018) although these were not targeted surveys for the species (F. Castañeda, J.M. Solís, J. Ramos Galdámez, 2019) |
| 3 | Phylogenetic significance | The taxon’s Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) score, as generated by the ZSL EDGE program. (These data are not editable by Assessors). | ED value 20 - 50 | |
| 4 | Protected habitat | Is a population of at least 50% of the individuals of the taxon included within a well-managed or reliably protected area or areas? | Yes / probably | This species is known from three localities in north-central Honduras: Parque Nacional La Muralla, in north-western Olancho Department; Montaña La Fortuna, in Parque Nacional Pico Pijol, near Portillo Grande in Yoro Department; and Cerro San Francisco, in Atlantida Department. This species also occurs in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texiguat. |
| 5 | Habitat for reintroduction, conservation translocation or supplementation | Does enough well-managed and reliably protected habitat exist, either within or outside of currently protected areas that is suitable for conservation translocation, including population restoration or conservation introduction? | Yes / probably | La Muralla national park |
| 6 | Previous reintroductions | Have reintroduction or translocation attempts been made in the past for this species? | No | |
| 7 | In situ conservation activities | Are any in situ conservation actions currently in place for this species? (Only required if a Red List Assessment has not been completed, or if new actions have been implemented since the last Red List Assessment. (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.). | ||
| 8 | In situ conservation activities | Are additional in situ conservation actions required to help conserve this species in the wild (e.g. habitat restoration and/or protection, control of invasive species, national legislation etc.)? | ||
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | ||
| 10 | Threat mitigation | Are the threats facing the taxon, including any new and emerging threats not considered in the IUCN Red List, potentially reversible? | Threats are likely to be reversible in time frame to prevent further decline / extinction | Although habitat destruction caused by subsistence agriculture is a major threat, the species' decline in pristine areas is not entirely understood. However, it should be noted that many other species of Craugastor that are associated with streams have undergone dramatic declines and disappearances at higher elevations due to chytridiomycosis, and so this is presumably a major threat to this species. The reform to the Ley de Protection de la Actividad Caficultora y Cacaotera (Decreto 37-2016; Articulos I, V, VI) has incentivised the cultivation of coffee in national lands, including the core zones of protected areas, which is increasing the alteration of primary forest (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). In Texiguat, the major threats to this species include high rates of deforestation and encroachment in the wildlife refuge for extensive cattle ranching and coffee plantations, agricultural crops (e.g., beans, avocado), including in the core area, illegal selective logging for hardwoods, followed by clear-cutting along the same access routes (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). As of 2016, a native boring pine beetle has devastated the pine forests of the region where this species occurs, which encourages widespread harvesting of the dying timber for energy production; increased intentional fires to eliminate the excess biomass; and subsequent conversion of burned areas to cropland. The destruction of the forests by the beetle have ceased as of 2019, however another outbreak will likely occur in the future during the next El Niño cycle (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). In Parque Nacional La Muralla, encroaching subsistence agriculture and livestock grazing activities are threats to the buffer zone of the national park (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). In Parque Nacional Pico Pijol, major threats to this species include extensive habitat loss for coffee plantations, illegal selective logging for hardwoods, the creation of roads for coffee plantations and logging, and the subsequent erosion and pollution caused by coffee farming and logging. The reform to the Ley de Protection de la Actividad Caficultora y Cacaotera (Decreto 37-2016; Articulos I, V, VI) has incentivised the cultivation of coffee in national lands, including the core zones of protected areas, which is increasing the alteration of primary forest (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). Although habitat destruction is a major threat, the species' past decline in pristine areas is not entirely understood. However, it should be noted that many other species of Craugastor that are associated with streams have undergone dramatic declines and disappearances at higher elevations due to chytridiomycosis, and so this is presumably a major threat to this species (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). |
| 11 | Over-collection from the wild | Is the taxon suffering from collection within its natural range, either for food, for the pet trade or for any other reason, which threatens the species’ continued persistence in the wild? | No / unlikely | |
| 12 | Population recovery | Is the known population of this species in the wild large enough to recover naturally, without ex situ intervention if threats are mitigated? | Unknown | Further survey work is required to determine the population status of this species and the reasons for its decline within pristine habitats. |
| 13 | Action plans | Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? | ||
| 14 | Biological distinctiveness | Does the taxon exhibit a distinctive reproductive mode, behaviour, aspect of morphology or physiology, within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.)? | No aspect of biology known to be exceptional | |
| 15 | Cultural/socio-economic importance | Does the taxon have a special human cultural value (e.g. as a national or regional symbol, in a historic context, featuring in traditional stories) or economic value (e.g. food, traditional medicine, tourism) within its natural range or in a wider global context? | No | |
| 16 | Scientific importance | Is the species vital to current or planned research other than species-specific ecology/biology/conservation within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.) e.g. human medicine, climate change, environmental pollutants and conservation science? | No research dependent on this species | |
| 17 | Ex situ research | Does conserving this species (or closely related species) in situ depend upon research that can be most easily carried out ex situ? | No | |
| 18 | Ex situ conservation activities | Is any ex situ research or other ex situ conservation action currently in place for this species? (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.) | ||
| 19 | Husbandry analog required | If an ex situ rescue program is recommended for this species, would an analog species be required to develop husbandry protocols first? | ||
| 20 | Husbandry analog | Do the biological and ecological attributes of this species make it suitable for developing husbandry regimes for more threatened related species? i.e. could this species be used in captivity to help to develop husbandry and breeding protocols which could be used for a similar, but more endangered species at a later stage? | No | |
| 21 | Captive breeding | Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? | Not held in captivity to date | |
| 22 | Conservation education/ecotourism potential | Is the species especially diurnal, active or colourful, or is there an interesting or unusual aspect of its ecology that make it particularly suitable to be an educational ambassador for conservation of the species in the range country, either in zoos or aquariums or within ecotourism activities? | No | |
| 23 | Mandate | Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? | No | |
| 24 | Range State approval | If an ex situ initiative was proposed for this species, would it be supported (and approved) by the range State (either within the range State or out-of-country ex situ)? | Yes / probably | |
| 25 | Founder specimens | Are sufficient animals of the taxon available or potentially available (from wild or captive sources) to initiate an ex situ program, if one was recommended? | ||
| 26 | Taxonomic status | Has a complete taxonomic analysis of the species in the wild been carried out, to fully understand the functional unit you wish to conserve (i.e. have species limits been determined)? | Yes |
Citation:
Cruz, G. & Wilson, L.D. 2019. Conservation Needs Assessment for Craugastor stadelmani, Honduras
(AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop).
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/4688
Accessed 17 May 2024
