Nongame Amphibians and Reptiles Program

Thomas R. JonesAmphibians and Reptiles Program

ManagerArizona Game and Fish Department

Herps Program

Conservation planningProject prioritization & coordination

Inter- and intra-agencyField projects

Research, surveys, monitoring and managementRegulationsPublic education and outreachScientific collecting permit review

Current Focus

Ranid frogs ProjectDesert turtles ProjectGartersnakes (Mexican, narrow-headed)

Sonoran tiger salamander

Desert Tortoises

Mojave Tortoises

Sonoran Tortoises

AGFD Tortoise ActivitiesPopulation monitoringDisease monitoringTortoise adoptions

Law Enforcement Challenges

Sonoyta Mud Turtle monitoring

Brennan & Holycross 2006Ornate Box Turtle initiate surveys and monitoring

Ranid Frogs

Northern leopard frog

Plains leopard frog

Relict leopard frog

Lowland leopard frog

Chiricahua leopard frog

Ramsey Canyon leopard frog

Tarahumara frog

RACH Recovery PlanRACH Safe Harbor AgreementConservation AgreementsTarahumara frog repatriationField activities

GeneticsDisease (chytrid fungus)Survey & monitoring

Ranid Frogs Project Applied Conservation

Implementation of Recovery Plan and Conservation Agreements

Distribution records!!Field Notes

Rana onca

Rana chiricahuensis

Annual RACH Workshop

Habitat Renovation

Captive Propagation & Repatriation

Rana pipiens

2007 Heritage Funded Project:-- Northern leopard frog population status

and genetics

photo: R.D. BabbTarahumara frogs

Chytridiomycosis monitoring

photo: T.R. Jones

Sonoran Tiger Salamander

San Rafael ValleyRecovery PlanMonitoring

photo: T.R. Jones

Mexican gartersnake

2007 Heritage Funded Project:Mexican gartersnake demography

Narrow-headed gartersnake

2007 Heritage Funded Projects:-- Narrow-headed gartersnake genetics

-- Impacts on populations

Predators/competitors with native aquatic wildlife

Exotic species

bullfrogs, crayfish, illegal sport and bait fish stocking

Bullfrogs

Small-scale Exotic Species Removal

San Rafael Valley

photo: T.R. Jones

Crayfish

photo: T.R. Jones

Brennan & Holycross 2006

Heritage Funded

photo: T.R. Jones

Closed Seasons

photo: T.R. Jones

photo: T. R. Jones

photo: T.R. Jones

Limited Take (2/year or 4/possession)

photo: T R Jones

Unlimited take -- dead

Volunteer Opportunities

exotic turtle trappingtortoise surveys & monitoring Tucson shovel-nosed snake tissue collectiongartersnake conservation

Added benefit: matching funds

photo: C. LiWanPo

Thanks!