Eastern Hellbender Plush by Ellen Paquette
This adorable plush Eastern Hellbender, created and generously donated by Ellen Paquette, is just one of several wonderful items that we’ll be raffling off during our Hellbender House Party Fundraising Event on November 18th! Get the details at http://rtpi.org/hellbender-house-party-1118/
Read MoreBullfrog Metamorph
It’s the time of year that local green frogs and bull frogs are leaving their watery confines to try a life on land. These large frogs breed only in permanent bodies of water, because they spend several years as a tadpole before metamorphosis. Unlike our vernal pool species, which breed earlier and are leaving their temporary pools before they dry, these species rely on permanent water that allows their tadpoles to overwinter – sometimes several times, depending on latitude. Want to learn more about the frogs in your neighborhood? There are Peterson Field Guides for that thanks to Roger Tory...
Read MoreA Frog that Few Have Laid Eyes On
Here is a frog that few have ever laid eyes on – Legler’s Tree Frog (Ptychohyla legleri). This is one of the target species of RTPI Director Twan Leenders’ recent trip to the mountains of Costa Rica where he joined RTPI Research Associate Alex Shepack in surveys of imperiled amphibian populations. Legler’s Tree Frog is an endangered species with a very small and highly fragmented distribution range. It is the only species in its genus in lower Central America; its nearest relatives are found in northern Nicaragua and countries north of there. This recently metamorphed individual was found...
Read MoreGlass Frogs
Researchers from the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) have been monitoring Glass frogs and other amphibian species in Central America for more than two decades – not only to keep these frogs from extinction, but also to learn how some populations have been able to survive catastrophic declines due to the parasitic Chytrid fungus. Hopefully this information will help us as we try to find ways to help other endangered species as well. Glass frogs owe their common name to their transparent undersides which, in some species, allow one to see their internal organs. Note...
Read MoreNew Arrivals
On this Wild America Wednesday, we want to take a moment to announce RTPI’s new arrivals! Please join us as we welcome Oneka and Tweeg, two seven year old hellbenders that will be moving from the Buffalo Zoo to our facility in Jamestown tomorrow! Originally a part of the NYS hellbender headstart program, these salamanders were kept to be used for educational purposes. Oneka and Tweeg will serve as ambassadors for their species, helping us to raise awareness of their conservation status, the need to learn more about them, and what can be done to help the wild American population! Our...
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