Amphibians & Reptiles

In Decline

Compiled by: Doug Woodhams, email: woodham5@pilot.msu.edu LAST EDITED 11/25/96
Pictures taken from Harding, 1990, 1992. see bibliography

Declining Amphibian Populations:

click here:

"Conservation can be selfish. I liked to turn rocks at an old quarry and find Milk Snakes. I derived great pleasure from canoeing a local river and seeing large numbers of Spiny Softshells and an occasional Wood Turtle. Every spring I climbed into my waders and slogged into the water at my favorite sedge swamp to observe Spring Peepers during their annual breeding frenzy. I delighted at finding a new individual or renewing an old aquaintance at a Timber Rattlesnake den that I have been studying for the past ten years. Nevertheless, those ten years have brought changes. The Milk Snake quarry was destroyed by road expansion. Pollution and silting have caused the river to become less suitable for Wood Turtles, and I find fewer each year. Frogs no longer call from the marsh that was converted to agricultural cropland. Two years ago a house was built on top of the rattlesnake hill, and last year the snake hunters dislodged rock slabs and destroyed the den. The meaning of conservation to me is simple. I want my children, their children, and their children's children to be able to observe and enjoy amphibians and reptiles in their natural state as I have. Moreover, I feel that the conservation of amphibians, reptiles, and other plants and animals is ultimately tied to the survival of the human race."

Department of Natural Resources; Wildlife Division, Nongame Program; Box 30180; Lansing, MI 48909; Phone: (517)373-1263

State Listing of Protected Amphibians and Reptiles:
(for federal listings of Endangered Species click here.)

ENDANGERED:

THREATENED:

SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN:

State Regulations on capture and use:

Michigan Amphibians and Phylogeny:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Amphibia (Amphibains)

Order: Anura (Frogs and Toads)

Links:

Michigan Frogs and Toads  
frog calls
"Life Tree:" Phylogeny of Amphibians
Reptile phylogeny
Class Reptilia
Class Lissamphibia

For Virtual Frog Dissections try these sites:

Interactive Frog Dissection
Whole Frog Project

Conservation:

Many programs have been initiated for the research and conservation of this diverse group of animals. In Michigan, a frog survey was begun in 1994 by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. After several more years of data are collected, conclusions may be drawn as to the health of Michigan frog populations. The first years results and general description of the program can be viewed here.

Other areas in the great lakes region have begun similar studies. The Minnesota County Biological Survey, Wisconsin Wildlife Survey, and the Natural Heritage Programs are among these. The Great Lakes Declining Amphibian Population Task Force has a web page that can be viewed here.

Other programs are in progress around the country and around the world, including:

Canaan
Declining Amphibian Population Task Force
Declining Amphibian Population Task Force FROGLOG
World Conservation Union's Species Survival Commission
North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
SSAR

For general herpetological information visit Harvard's Herpetology Server.

According to herpetologist James Harding of the Michigan State University Museum, turtles may be as good of indicators for biological health as are frogs and other amphibians. Land turltes, such as the wood turtle pictured above have a long life span, reaching reproductive age only after fifteen years. They also lay relatively few eggs, on the average of eight per year, while in comparison, some frogs will lay thousands of eggs at a time. Frog populations have a tendency to fluctuate depending on climate and yearly weather conditions; they are for the most part elastic in their ability to come back after a decline. Wood turltes, on the other hand, depend on adult individuals to maintain the population, and their numbers may more accurately reflect the health of a region. Currently, wood turtles are in decline due in large part to the (illegal) capture of adult individuals for use as pets, and because a majority of the eggs and young turtles become prey to animals such as raccoons, oppossums, mink, birds or other animals. "These animals can tolerate fairly high egg and hatchling losses, as long as the older animals, especially the breeding adults, have a high probability of surviving and reproducing for many years."