Project
Saving the Darwin's blackish toad in Tandilia grassland

Darwin’s blackish toad (Melanophryniscus nigricans) is a threatened species. Since the decade of 1970, the wild populations it have dramatically declined by more than 70%. At least two well-known populations have become extinct; a third one is probably extinct. The remnant populations face a combination of threats, including habitat loss by forestry, invasive woody species, and quarries; overgrazing and trampling by livestock; chytrid fungus; and desiccation caused by climate change. In 2017, we started a conservation initiative to identify the main threats and explore effective conservation actions to recover Darwin’s blackish toad populations. Currently, only one protected area (the Sierra del Tigre Natural Reserve) is effectively guarding a wild population of this toad, and the reserve's managers initiated a habitat restoration project to provide more habitat for Darwin’s blackish toad. However, natural recolonization by Darwin’s blackish toad is unlikely due to current fragmentation and the lack of corridors between highland grassland remnants. This project aims to increase the area of occupancy of Darwin’s blackish toad. We will build ex-situ facilities near the University Campus and establish a survival colony. We also will conduct ranching of eggs: we will collect some clutches from wild breeding sites and maintain them in captivity until they become juveniles or adults. All individuals produced in captivity will be translocated to restored and protected habitats in the Sierra del Tigre Natural Reserve and selected surrounding areas. This project will achieve Darwin's blackish toad's first effective conservation tools, connecting the current populations and increasing its viability.