Coalición Pro Bosque Seco Ventanas Verraco

January 12, 2009
Diane Barber, Fort Worth Zoo

On March 29, 2008 a single male Puerto Rican crested toad (Peltophryne lemur) was discovered by biologists while searching for bats on private property adjacent to Guánica National Forest (map site 1).

After heavy rains in September, crested toad breeding events occurred in the wetlands approximately three miles east of Tamarindo (map sites 2-5) and hundreds of toadlets were observed in October by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists. Due to the toadlets’ proximity to the last remaining population of crested toads in Tamarindo, this group of toads is likely part of a metapopulation of toads in Guánica.

The Ventana pond mirrors the Tamarindo pond in terms of habitat, but Ventana is much larger. This site is currently privately owned, but the landowner has committeddonate the property to the Puerto Rican Department of Natural and Ecological Resources (DNER) and is receptive to biologists visiting the site and monitoring the population until negotiations are finalized.

Unfortunately, the surrounding area is slated for windmill installation and the potential effects of habitat alteration and noise/vibration to the toads are unknown. Further research is needed to determine what, if any, effects the windmills will have on this newly discovered group of toads. The FWS, DNER and SSP plan to begin population monitoring and habitat usage studies for Ventana in 2009.

http://www.aza.org/ConScience/Documents/Amphib_News_Jan2009.pdf