Page 10 - Gateways_2018_FALL

News Bites continued

TOGO SLIPPERY
FROG

Togo Party experiment with different conditions before the frogs
were able to lay eggs that hatched and produced
ARRIVAL Some of Brookfield Zoo’s most healthy offspring.

impressive happenings are occurring “This was an entirely staff-led project, which was
behind the scenes. In a small habitat not visible to the really exciting to see,” said Andy Snider, curator of herps
public, animal care staff have achieved a world first: for and aquatics. “The team was completely dedicated to
the first time ever under professionally managed care, figuring this out and jumped into learning everything
seven Togo slippery frog eggs have hatched—and the they could about this species.”
tadpoles are thriving.
The youngsters are continuing to develop and appear
The International Union for Conservation of Nature to be thriving, but for now, the frogs and their tadpoles
lists these frogs as critically endangered, largely due will remain off exhibit—they are shy creatures and often
to habitat loss (they are native to a small part of Africa). prefer seclusion, so they are most comfortable away
However, we are the only zoo in North America that is from the public eye. Once the tadpoles morph into
accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to froglets and become comfortable, they may eventually
house this rare species. be placed on exhibit.

This meant that animal care staff had no other
experts to turn to for guidance about optimal breeding
conditions for these animals. The first few egg clutches
that the frogs laid were not viable, and staff had to

10 GATEWAYS | NEWS BITES