What can be done to help save the frogs?

Research is being conducted to determine why

some frogs in the wild are affected by the fungus

and others are not. This is being done via the

Montserrat Mountain Chicken Project through

intensive surveys of the surviving frogs and a

series of releases of captive bred frogs.

Collaboration between Montserrat and overseas

partners who assist with research, and links

between Montserrat and Dominica are essential.

It is important to share the knowledge and skills

gained on both islands so that we can work

together to ensure the long term survival of the

species.

An outreach and education programme will

keep the general public informed and will enthuse

and educate school children so more people are

aware of the status of the mountain chicken. This

will generate more support and interest in

protecting the mountain chicken and its habitat

which would improve chances of saving the

frogs.

What can you do?

If you see a live or dead mountain chicken call the

Department of Environment on 491-9278 to give

details of the location and time of the sighting.

Continue to support the project on island and help

us save this species.

The Mountain Chicken Project is funded by the

Darwin Initiative, a British governmental scheme

and is run by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and

Department of Environment in collaboration with

Zoological Society of London.

The story of the mountain chicken so far... The mountain chicken (Leptodactlyus fallax), the

largest native frog in the Caribbean, can now only

be seen in two islands: Montserrat and Dominica.

In 2002 the deadly chytrid fungus hit Dominica

reducing the resident population of mountain

chicken by up to 80% in just 18 months. The

fungus was detected in Montserrat in 2009.

Montserrat saw similar devastating effects on

its resident mountain chickens and even now

population size remains low.

Mountain chickens are forest animals that live in

a wide range of habitats during the wet season.

In the dry season they prefer moist and shady

forested conditions near ghauts and pools of

fresh water. They are mostly active after dusk

when they hunt for insects and molluscs.

Mountain chickens have been known to prey on

centipedes, scorpions and small

vertebrates including mice.

The Chytrid Crisis

What is happening to our

frogs?

For more information please contact

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT

Ministry of Agriculture, Land,

Housing, & the Environment

P.O. Box 272

Brades

Phone: 664-491-9278

Fax: 664-491-9276

E-mail: smithsl@gov.ms

Prime mountain chicken habitat

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Golden toads from Costa Rica are now extinct

due to the chytrid fungus

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Swabbing a mountain chicken for

evidence of chytrid infection

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE

NO MORE FROGS? - MORE ROACHES -MORE MOSQUITOES

- MORE CENTIPEDES - MORE CRICKETS

How does chytrid affect mountain chickens? Chytrid is a water based fungus that affects the skin

of frogs. The fungus causes a disease called

Chytridiomycosis. This disease causes the outer layer

of the frog’s skin to become thick, and reddens the

skin on the belly and legs. It also causes shedding of

the skin. The disease stops the frogs from absorbing

essential chemicals from the water and stops the

muscles from functioning properly. The frog’s mobility

is affected impacting its ability to hunt and escape

predators. If the frog does not starve to death first, it

eventually dies of a heart attack. Some species of

amphibians only carry the disease and are not

affected by the fungus. The reason why some frogs

are affected and others are not is unknown and more

research on this is essential.

HOW IS CHYTRID SPREAD?

- TREE FROG SKIN - CANE TOAD SKIN

- WATER - SOIL

- BIRD FEATHERS - REPTILE SKIN

MAIN THREATS TO MOUNTAIN CHICKEN ARE:

- HABITAT LOSS - FUNGAL DISEASE

- INVASIVE SPECIES - HUNTING

www.mountainchicken.org

Why is solving the chytrid crisis important? Mountain chickens are not the only frog species

affected by Chytridiomycosis. Frogs all over the

world are going extinct because of the disease.

Frogs are very important to ecosystems and to

mankind as they control insects like the

mosquito, while some provide cures for

diseases. A rapid loss of the species may affect

our ecosystem. Insect populations may rapidly

increase if there are no frogs around to predate

them. Mountain chickens also eat centipedes

whose numbers are likely to increase if the

mountain chickens are not around.

Mountain chickens share habitat with cane toads

and tree frogs which are not affected by chytrid

but are carriers of the fungus. This increases

the risk of mountain chickens being affected by

chytrid.

© Gerardo Garcia

©Jenny Liman

The underside of a healthy

mountain chicken should

be a pearly white colour

The legs and toes of sick

frogs may tremble. This is

a sign that the frog can-

not hop and hunt properly

and might be starving

Red belly and legs is a strong

indicator of advanced signs of

Chytridiomycosis.

A frog infected with

chytrid displaying

red toe ulcers

Unhealthy frogs have a white

line under the eye. Healthy

frogs have bright alert eyes

with no white line.

Dry skin of an infected

frog. Chytrid prevents

water to be taken in by

the skin making it look

dry and milky coloured

Mountain Chicken Mountain Chicken Leptodactylus fallax

signs of chytrid fungussigns of chytrid fungus

A healthy mountain chicken