A partnership with Brian Kubicki to save neotropical amphibians

In 2020, we had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Kubicki, founder of the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center (cramphibian.com). Connecting during COVID times, especially with someone in remote Costa Rican jungles, was certainly difficult, but well worth the effort! As a result, Josh's Frogs is now donating $5 for every Lemur Tree Frog sold on the website to the CRARC, to help preserve this endangered amphibian in the wild. At the beginning of 2021, we were able to send over $1100 in funds!

As written on the CRARC's website:

The Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center (C.R.A.R.C.) has proven to be a pioneer and leader in many aspects regarding the research and conservation of Neotropical amphibians since its initiation back in 2002, being the first of its kind project in Latin America.

The C.R.A.R.C. is owned and operated by Brian Kubicki, who has been living in Costa Rica since 1998, during which time he has dedicated his life to the research and conservation of the countries’ amphibians and their habitats. Brian’s main area of interest and research has been focused on the alpha-level taxonomy, distributions, and natural history of Costa Rican amphibians, with a special emphasis on glass frogs (Family Centrolenidae), treefrogs (Family Hylidae), leaf frogs (Family Phyllomedusidae), dirt frogs (Superfamily Brachycephaloidea), and bolitoglossine salamanders (Family Plethodontidae).

During Brian’s 23 years of living in Costa Rica, he has invested thousands of hours to fieldwork throughout the country, earning him an unequaled experience with the status (taxonomic and conservational), current distributions, and natural history of Costa Rican amphibians. One of the many very successful in situ conservation projects at the Costa Rican
Amphibian Research Center’s Guayacán Rainforest Reserve has been focused on the Critically Endangered Lemur Leaf Frog (Agalychnis lemur). This species is currently only known to inhabit less than a handful of sites between Costa Rica and Panama.

Following the initiation of this in situ conservation work for this taxon within the Guayacán Rainforest Reserve back in 2003, numerous robust breeding metapopulations of A. lemur are now well-established within the private property. This pioneering conservation project has resulted in the Guayacán Rainforest Reserve being home to the most robust population of A. lemur known to exist anywhere.

Funds generated by Josh's Frogs during 2020 will be used to help restore important breeding ponds in the Guayacan Rainforest Reserve, and will help employ locals in the process! Heavier than normal rainfall has delayed progress so far, but we are excited to see the results these funds will have on the future wild population of this amazing amphibian species.

To read more about the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center, schedule a visit, or donate, please check out their website.