Archives of The Cold Blooded News

The Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological Society

Volume 31, Number 6;   June, 2004

Colorado Division of Wildlife Launches Herpetofaunal Atlas

Visitors to the new Web-based Colorado Herpetofaunal Atlas will be able to learn more about some of Colorado's least-known native species and practice citizen science by submitting information whenever they spot "herps" in their backyard or the backcountry. The goal for DOW biologists is to gather enough data from students, researchers and casual observers to determine whether the decline of some species is cause for alarm or part of a natural fluctuation pattern.

"Reptiles and amphibians are not studied or understood as well as the other species out there. Additional information will help us understand what's happening with these populations," said Tina Jungwirth, the DOW's aquatic herptile coordinator, who specializes in amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans and the little fishes of the Eastern Plains. "If the public understands how important these species are they'll be more inclined to help us protect them. The public is a great resource for us."

When it goes live on June 7 the atlas will include 25,000 pieces of historical data on herpetofaunal species dating back to the late 1800s. Jungwirth and high-tech contractors who helped the DOW design the Web site tapped into a litany of resources to set up the database, including scientific surveys, historical journals, and museum specimens.

The site will offer observers maps indicating where herpetofaunal species have been sighted in Colorado. Once they have registered as herpetofaunal observers, atlas users will be able to record their own sightings and observations from any location in the state simply by logging onto the DOW Web site. They will also be able to access digital photos and listen to different species via digital audio WAVE files.

Brenda Beatty, a senior ecologist with CDM, the environmental and technical consulting firm that helped the DOW design its interactive atlas, said public participation will be a critical component of the project.

"All contributions are considered important to the understanding of the occurrence, distribution and abundance of reptiles and amphibians in Colorado," Beatty said.

Through the new atlas, visitors will enter the little-known world of several species, including the boreal toad, which lives at elevations of 8,000 feet or higher in the Colorado high country. Scientists already know some of the factors working against boreal toads, which emerge in late April and early May. For one, the toads' offspring must develop rather quickly, transforming from egg to toad before ponds freeze over in late September. Also affecting the toads is a damaging skin fungus called chytrid.

The boreal toad is listed as endangered in Colorado and is a candidate for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. By accumulating long-term data on sightings, biologists hope to more accurately assess where the toads live and what sorts of factors are contributing to their downfall.

Atlas users will be encouraged to ask questions, too. Jungwirth, who studied environmental biology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will answer questions through a Web-based feature called "Ask a Herpetologist." While she is an excellent fit for her new job, Jungwirth credited retired DOW Aquatic Herptile Coordinator Chuck Loeffler with the atlas' conception.

To raise public awareness about the atlas and database, Jungwirth and others will travel around the state for a series of field sessions from June 7-15 to teach Colorado residents how to search for such species, identify them, and gather pertinent data. Biologists hope to receive sightings from all corners of the state to add to the database and maps. Leading the field sessions will be Geoffrey Hammerson, who is the author of the field guide Reptiles and Amphibians in Colorado and a research zoologist with the non-profit conservation group NatureServe.

Anyone who wishes to register for the herpetofaunal atlas field training sessions should send their name and contact information to Rawlinsonrc@cdm.com or call (720) 264-1145.

Herpetofaunal workshops will be held at the locations listed below. More specific information will be made available to participants before the sessions:

• Monday, June 7: Northeast Colorado near Greeley, at the Pawnee National Grasslands. Meet at Crow Valley Camp Ground.
• Tuesday, June 8: Southeast Colorado near La Junta, at the Comanche National Grasslands. Meet at Vogel Canyon Picnic Area.
• Wednesday, June 9: Southwest Colorado near Mancos, at Mesa Verde National Park. Meet at Cox Conoco gas station in Mancos.
• Thursday, June 10: Northwest Colorado near Dinosaur National Monument. Meeting site will be determined later.
• Friday, June 11: On the Western Slope near Grand Junction, at the Colorado National Monument. Meeting site will be determined later.
• Monday, June 14: Northern Colorado near Steamboat Springs. Meeting site will be determined later.
• Tuesday, June 15: Denver, Chatfield State Park (tentative)

Visitors to the Colorado Herpetofaunal Atlas will be able to log onto the new Web site when it goes live on Monday, June 7: <http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/herpatlas/coherpatlas>.