The role of the Queensland Frog Society in the Prevention of potentially fatal amphibian diseases in frog populations

Jenniffer Holdway, A.E.O. Nattrass and G.J. Ingram

Queensland Frog Society Inc. PO Box 7017, East Brisbane 4169

Email: jennyholdway@hotmail.com

Powerpoint presentation of talk (1.1 Megb)

The dramatic rise in the population of native frogs since the mid-1980s has resulted in a corresponding dramatic rise in the number of lay people actively engaged in observing,capturing and handling wild frogs. The Queensland Frog Society Inc. was founded in 1990 largely to cater for this surge of interest. With the discovery of potentially fatal diseases such as chytridiomycocis, there is the distinct possibility that increase human involvement with frogs might be increasing the risk of the spread of disease. The Society has been alert to this, Along with our more general guidelines to encourage ethical behaviour of our members (and of non-members with whom we come in contact), the Society has now created a special notification on amphibian diseases in an effort to reduce the risks associated with lay activities. The Queensland Frog Society is also aware that most of the disappearances of frogs were before the present increase in public interest and in areas bereft of lay frogwatchers, We also realise the preceding endeavours are not substitutes for finding ways of eradicating disease.

To this end, the Society actively solicits funds through its Gift Fund to support such research. While this philanthropy is expected to increase, our members are also keen that there be some positive results from our sponsorships. Our aim in supporting such research is in an expectation that solutions be found to the problems of disease.