Striped Newt Propagation Program Improvements!

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This year, the Amphibian Foundation and partners (Florida Fish and Wildlife, Orianne Society, Detroit Zoo, and others) received a Conservation Wildlife Tag grant to support captive breeding efforts for the imperiled Striped Newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus). The support has gone towards improvements int he captive propagation facilities, and in the establishment of a large Daphnia culturing facility to produce live food for both the adult and larval newts.

A paedomorphic adult newt in the Amphibian Lab at the Amphibian Foundation

Yesterday, we completed the next phase by moving the colony into our Amphibian Lab, a climate controlled facility where temperature and photoperiod can be optimized for the health of the newts.

Luckily, we had a great team to help us with task that involved moving large amounts of water (always fun) as well as a good amount of bleach, and gingerly moving these newts into their new home

Amanda (left), Javiera (middle) and Abby (right) obviously feeling rather accomplished after setting up the entire breeding colony of imperiled Striped Newts.
Javi pointing to her favorite newt

We are lucky to have such dedicated, talented, and passionate staff at AF
Here are our breeding pairs. Deli cups in the middle are young newts, born at AF, that will be released into protected habitat early in 2020.

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