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I’ve been back and forth from Chile several times already this year working on the Darwin’s Frog Conservation initiative (www.savedarwinsfriogs.org). The Chileans that I work with are quite simply fantastic people. I have had a great time working with Andres Charrier in the Nothophagus forests of the south of the country. We have seen some incredible wildlife. I thought I’d share just a few.
- Our days usually begin with Andy making coffee. When we found ourselves without coffee filters one morning, Andy got desperate. I hope his sock was clean.
- The old logging roads that we have used to get to a few localities have not been kind to the two wheel drive vehicles that we have used.
- Four wheel drive vehicles have worked out much better for the roads we have been using.
- To get to remote headwater areas where isolated & uncut forest patches still exist, horses have worked well.
- Horses have really enabled us to get to some great forests.
- Mules have been great for carrying in supplies to these remote sites where we are going to camp for longer periods of time.
- Camping has allowed us the time necessary to investigate remote forest patches that haven’t been cut.
- A make shift lantern illuminates camping supplies to make breakfast before dawn.
- I really can’t complain about the scenery.
- Seems like we are always working in the shadows of volcanoes.
Andy leaves no stone unturned.
- The flowers from this vine (Asteranthera ovata) have been amazing.
- Darwin’s Frogs (Rhinoderma darwinii) have been the focus of our project in Chile. Individuals like this one, with two or more shades of green, are a little less common than a single shade of green or multiple shades of brown and tan.
- This is one of the more attractive individuals that I have seen.
- I also like the soft green Darwin’s Frogs.
- Two tone color patterns are common in these frogs.
- You can imagine how concealing these colors and patterns can be when frogs are at rest in bamboo leaf litter on the forest floor.
- This green male has a vocal sac full of developing young.
- The fleshy spurs on the “ankles” of these frogs are called calcars.
- Every now and again we have come across adults that have lost their nose appendage.
- Earth tones in the color pattern of this frog conceal it in the forest’s leaf litter.
- The ventral colors of Darwin’s Frogs are beautiful. The lower abdomen sports black and white marbling.
- Fantastic looking frogs!
- Newly “spit out” Darwin’s Frogs are minute.
- The profile of Darwin’s Frogs is unique.
- The arms and legs of Darwin’s Frogs sport bumps and fleshy extensions. All of these characters work to disrupt the noticable outline of a frog so that search image oriented preadtors have a harder time spotting them in the leaf litter.
- Darwin’s Frogs aren’t uncommon around streams.
The smaller drainages in the forests where we have been working have been loaded with wildlife.
Freshwater crabs (genus Aegla) have been common encounters.
Lurking among the moss covered boulders of the Nothophagus forests of Central Chile are some spectacular amphibians. I had always wanted to see Chile's "False Mountain Toads" (Telmatobufo venustus).
The long toes of this treefrog (Batrachyla antantartica) beg questions revolving around what they are used for.
Great colors in the pattern of this terrestrial frog (Alsodes igneus).
Chile has its own "Tomato Frogs" (Eupsophus rosae).
Chile's history with logging is not new. This old water powered saw mill is now out of service and gathering dust. It has been replaced with the most modern of logging equipment.
The humid temperate forests of Southern Chile host stunning biodiversity and are immediately threatened by unsustainable logging practises.
Deforestation has impacted the many endemic species to Chile's southern forests.
Massive stands of monocultured exotic tree species now stand where southern temperate rainforests once grew in Chile. These man made forests have little value to the local wildlife.
This is an all too common sight in South Chile.
I'd like to thank Andres Charrier (left) for all of his valuable time that we have spent with one another in the forests of South Chile. He has taught me so much about Chile's amazing amphibians.
July 3rd, 2010 at 8:04 am
Dr. Fenolio,
Great find with the Telmatobufo venustus. That species is known from only a few specimens. How are you guys finding them?
Sam
July 4th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Sam,
You are correct in that Telmatobufo venustus is only known from a few specimens. I have had the great good fortune to be working with exceptional field people in Chile like Andres Charrier. We have been lucky in having identified an area where there seems to be a good population of these guys. So far, we’ve spent a lot of time at night studying these frogs. They are in serious trouble so we are looking at initiating conservation work with them.
Cheers,
Dante
July 7th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Dante,
It is so nice to see these kinds of projects going on. It gives me hope that some species might be saved. Thanks you!
Shirley Helm
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:02 am
Thanks for the “feel” of your adventure through your always wonderful photographs! These frogs are truly beautiful and I am so happy that you are getting to work with them in the wild.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:25 am
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June 8th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
SNSD Genie-many thanks!