Project Details

The first documented outbreak of the amphibian fungal pathogen, Bactrachytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), often simply referred to as "chytrid", first occurred in Australia in 1993 after a mass mortality event involving multiple anuran species. Since that initial outbreak, Bd has been detected in over 350 amphibian species worldwide and has been associated with severe population declines or extinctions. Bd infection rates vary based on species and life stages impacting the skin of adults and the mouthparts of tadpoles with some species not exhibiting clinical symptoms. The fungus spreads across the skin of the amphibian causing it to thicken and impedes the exchange of water, electrolytes and respiratory gases through the skin resulting in sloughing, lethargy, weight loss, and potentially death. Most outbreaks of Bd occur at higher elevations during the cooler months. In the United States, Bd has been detected in 46 out of 50 states with the western part of the country having the highest incidences.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) has been screening for Bd since August 2001. Seven out of nine  native amphibian species have tested positive for Bd between 2001 and 2024 Four species (Arizona toad, Anaxyrus microscaphus; western toad, Anaxyrus boreas; Columbia spotted frog, Rana luteiventris; northern leopard frog, Lithobates pipiens) that have tested positive are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) under the Utah Wildlife Action Plan (UWAP).

The Columbia Spotted Frog/Least Chub Conservation Team and Western Toad Conservation Team have identified the need to prevent the decline of current breeding sites as well as expanding populations by increasing the number of additional breeding sites using historic breeding sites or finding sites with suitable habitat that could become new breeding sites for these species. Under the UWAP, Bd is identified as a threat to anuran populations in Utah and continued screening throughout the state is important for understanding the prevalence  and spread of Bd. Translocations has been discussed as a conservation management tool in both conservation teams. Identifying source sites and recipient sites are important to meet the goals of maintaining current populations while increasing the number of sites on the landscape for SGCN amphibians. Before considering source sites, recipient sites or repatriation sites for translocation or reintroductions, we need to determine Bd status of those sites to be able to make effective management decisions for performing conservation actions that have the best chances of yielding successful results with disease management considerations.

Currently, a repatriation plan is being developed by the Western Toad Repatriation Plan Team (WTRPT). The WTRPT have identified the Pausaungunt Plateau as a priority population for a captive breeding and release program. The Pausaungunt Plateau has experienced sharp declines from Bd since the 1990s and we are currently releasing captive bred individuals at a site that has historically tested positive for Bd. Finding a secondary release site that is Bd negative is important to try to maintain a population that consists of the genetics from the Paunsaugunt Plateau and increases the chances of successful repatriation efforts.

Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.

Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.

LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.

TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.

List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.

If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.

Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.

Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.

Objective 1 -- There are 16 sites that require sample collection: 5 potential repatriation sites (one in Central Region, two in Northern Region, and two in Southern Region); 4 potential source sites (two in Central Region, one in Northern Region, and one in Southern Region); 8 potential translocations or recipient sites (two in Central Region, three in Northern Region, and three in Southern Region; two of these sites are also being considered as translocation recipient sites and are not counted twice in total site number); and 1 site that is a new population of Columbia spotted frogs (Central Region).
Task 1 --Collect adequate number of samples at each site to have confidence in a negative Bd test result for the entire site. This number has been determined from Skerratt et al. 2008 and Gray et al. 2017. Some sites may not have the focal SGCN present and may require the collection of swabs from non-SGCN amphibians present at the site to increase number of samples.
Task 2 -- A fine rayon tipped swab will be passed over the ventral surfaces 20 to 30 times targeting the pelvis patch, toe webbing, and ventral surfaces of the thighs. Place the tip into a screwtop Eppendorf tube and break the tip off into the tube and close the lid. Label the tube with the species, animal ID number, date, and site. Recent studies have shown that nitrile gloves have fungicidal properties. This protocol will include updated recommendations to include the use of non-nitrile gloves. The samples are to be stored at -20 degrees Celsius until they are shipped frozen to Pisces Molecular for PCR. Direct shipping information for Pisces molecular will be included in the collection protocol. At the end of the season, the state herpetologist will request an inventory of samples collected during the spring, summer, and early fall field seasons. Samples may be transported to the Salt Lake Office to be pooled and shipped together or sent directly to Pisces Molecular after contacting the company in advance.
Objective 2: Collect eDNA water samples at sites to test for Bd.
Task 1 -- Sites that have none or very low number of amphibians for adequate Bd testing will consider collecting eDNA water samples.
Task 2 -- Organize borrowing water pumps and associated equipment from the Rocky Mountain Research Station to collect samples at identified sites. The National Genomics Center (NGC) provide field kits with filter cups, supplies, and protocols to collect eDNA samples. The eDNA samples will have to analyzed by NGC in order to borrow eDNA sampling equipment or field kit supplies
Objective 3: Develop a protocol for translocating amphibians between sites.
Objective 4: Incorporate results into 2025 conservation team management discussions and repatriation planning.

Literature Cited:
Gray et al. 2017. Pathogen surveillance in herpetofaunal populations: guidance on study design, sample collection, biosecurity, and intervention strategies. Herpetological Review 48(2):334-351. 
Skerratt et al. 2008. Survey protocol for detecting chytridiomycosis in all Australian frog populations. Dis. Aquat. Org. 80:85-94.

Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.

Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.

List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.

Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.

Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.