Species

Bombina pachypus

Common Name(s)

Appenine Yellow-bellied Toad

Region where program is based

Europe

Country where program is based

Italy

The authority that recommended this species for an ex situ program

Has a genetic analysis been performed on wild populations to define the target taxon, i.e., verify that single, viable Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESU's) that are managed as separate populations, are not confounded by cryptic species or polymorphisms?

Name of the institution managing the ex situ population

Fondazione Bioparco di Roma

Year the program started

2012

Is at least some portion of the captive population maintained in range country?

Yes

Are sufficient resources available to manage the ex situ population?

Are adequate numbers of skilled staff available with the appropriate ex situ amphibian experience?

Is sufficient space available for the required population size?

Additional Support required

Has a Taxon Management Coordinator for the ex situ population been appointed?

Yes

Taxon Management Coordinator

Massimiliano Di Giovanni of Fondazione Bioparco di Roma

Has a Taxon Management Group or Recovery Team been established?

Yes

Has a Taxon Management Plan, Recovery Plan or Species Action Statement been written?

Web link to Taxon Management Plan

Have Husbandry Guidelines been written?

Web link to Husbandry Management Guidelines

Have any knowledge gaps in the species biology or in their interaction with potential threats been identified that could benefit from research using the ex situ population?

Have founder needs been calculated using the AArk Amphibian Population Management Guidelines ?

Have sufficient potential founders been collected? ( AArk Amphibian Population Management Guidelines recommends a minimum of 20 pairs of found animals).

Is the ex situ population managed by nationals from the range country?

Yes

What tools are used to maximize retention of genetic diversity?

Has the population produced viable offspring?

Yes

Have the first generation captive-bred animals bred successfully?

Yes

Is the ex situ population housed in permanent isolation from other populations occurring outside its range?

Yes

Is work being supported to study and mitigate threats to the species in the wild, either by the institution or by a regional wildlife agency?

Have captive-bred or captive-reared animals been released into the wild?

Yes

If releases were undertaken, have disease screening protocols or veterinary health checks been conducted prior to releases to the wild?

Is follow-up work being carried out to monitor progress of the released animals?

Yes

Is the taxon again secure in the wild, even if it might still require some ongoing in situ management? i.e. has the need for a captive assurance population been obviated such that we can call this a successfully terminated captive rescue program?

Comments

2021: The goal for the year 2021 will be to release part or all of the animals still housed in the Bioparco into a third station of the Monte Navegna Cervia Reserve to create an alternative area, to be monitored in subsequent years and therefore to study the effectiveness of the project. On September 2018, a new population comprising 14 animals of B.pachypus was brought to the Bioparco from the Reserve “La Majella”, in order to evaluate potential differences in the development rate between this new population and the one that was already present at the Bioparco (Monte Navegna Cervia). During the year 2019, the staff of the Reptile Section of the Bioparco Foundation in Rome dedicated most of their time to the ex-situ phase of the project. In particular, several different breeding techniques were studied and compared in order to optimize the staff's skills in the captive breeding of this species. The different breeding techniques have been studied for an experimental thesis that will be published by the end of the year 2020. Overall, between 2014 and 2017, 67 individuals were reintroduced and monitored there after by the staff of Bioparco.