Biosecurity in amphibian collections

1. Biosecurity in amphibian collections Richard Gibson1 and Kay Bradfield2 1Chester Zoo and Amphibian Ark 2Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

2. The problem Perhaps 500 species of threatened amphibian require ex-situ conservation, including intensively managed captive populations to produce animals for potential release back into the wild.

3. Amphibian chytrid • Batrachochytriumdendrobatidis–B.d. • associated with amphibian • die-offs on every continent • (genetically uniform) • unstoppable & untreatable • in the wild • “the worst infectious disease ever recorded among vertebrates in terms of the number of species impacted, and its propensity to drive them to extinction.”

4. Because chytridfungus is a major threat to most amphibian species, protocols for managing amphibians ex situ must be modified to take account of the need for enhanced quarantine and hygiene.

5. Furthermore, amphibian Ark/Rescue/Supplementation populations must be maintained as pure and ‘wild’ as possible in order to be able to return them to their natural habitats in the future. Facilities for maintaining amphibian colonies of this nature must therefore be ‘biosecure’.

6. What does ‘biosecurity’ really mean? • Biosecurity - the protection of the environment and its native species from exotic pathogens • Biosecurity & ex-situ conservation facilities • need to protect captive spp. from pathogens present in the external environment (whether facility is in-range or out-of-range) • need to protect native spp. in external environment from pathogens carried by captive spp. (if captive spp. are being held out-of-range)

7. How do we achieve biosecurity? BIOSECURITY = RISK ASSESSMENT + RISK MINIMISATION Risks are minimised through erecting and maintaining appropriate barriers and routines.

8. Multi-species facilities that house a geographically diverse range of spp. or that are located outside the range of species held, pose the greatest risks • For conservation programmesyou should retain pathogens the species is exposed to in the wild, but exclude others  the only way to do this is total quarantine and isolation of projects, otherwise you should not release animals into the wild.

9. The most successful amphibian conservation programme to date?

10. Amphibian biosecurity is not just about B. dendrobatidis • There are numerous amphibian diseases we already know about – what about the ones we haven’t discovered yet? • At least some of these will have had a long evolutionary history as amphibian generalists, meaning that they may infect other amphibian spp. • As the natural host species are unlikely to exhibit signs of infection, traditional quarantine measures (e.g. 30 – 90 day holding periods, health screening) will not detect these pathogens.

11. Considerations for designing & developing biosecure facilities • Level of biosecurity required • purpose of animals • in-range vs. out-of-range • Pathogen transfer/movement • air? • water • substrates/live plants/‘furniture’/equipment • wastes • food animals (and their food) • pests • the animals themselves • people

12. Considerations for designing & developing biosecure facilities cont… • Treatment /disposal of waste from facility • Water e.g.holding tanks & chlorine injection • other waste (faeces, substrates, ‘furniture’, equipment, uneaten food, gloves, disposable gowns, etc.) e.g. double bag as clinical waste & incinerate

13. Considerations for developing biosecure & quarantine working protocols • Restrict access to essential staff only • Staff must be trustworthy & reliable • Minimise keeper access to biosecure facilities & enclosures within them • every time a facility / enclosure is accessed there is the potential for biosecurity to be breached  minimising keeper access allows greater isolation (and therefore protection) of animals

14. Considerations for developing biosecure / quarantine working protocols cont… • Protective clothing • footwear • dedicated boots • gowns/overalls • disposable vs. washable • gloves • must be worn with all amphibians at all times! • put on/remove in a sterile fashion! • Dedicated instruments/equipment for each enclosure/species

15. Considerations for developing biosecure / quarantine working protocols cont… • Always follow the same service order • - rooms/buildings • - within rooms/buildings • Disinfection of equipment & enclosures • - disinfectant(s) used • - concentration & contact time • - need to remove organic matter • Maximise automation • - spray systems • - filtration systems • - food funnels

17. The AArk’s role is to help the zoo/aquarium community save as many amphibian species as possible by: • Providing global coordination • Technical guidance • Training • Linkage to other IUCN groups • Communications • Guiding publicity and capital campaigns

24. Room 2 (north side)

25. The future A re-discovered Costa Rican highland species green-eyed frog Lithobates vibicaria

26. Training

27. ACH – Jersey, 2008 • Amphibian Conservation Husbandry 2008 (ACH) • Duration: 11 days • Participants: 21 ex-situ amphibian conservationists from 11 European countries • Course content: Module 1: Amphibian biodiversity and change Module 2: Captive facility design and construction Module 3: Breeding and managing populations Module 4: Managing animal health in captivity Measuring UV light from different light sources

28. Spawned by the ACH • Thoiry, France – March 2009 • Barcelona, Spain – Feb 2009 • Reaseheath, UK – 2009 • Nordens Ark, Sweden, Feb 2009 • Rotterdam/Antwerp/Amsterdam, Netherlands/Belgium – Nov 2008 • Riga, Latvia (incl Russian zoos) – Oct 2008 • Zoo/private, Germany – Nov 2008 • Lisbon, Portugal – June 2008

29. Biosecurity & ‘educational’ animals While we may not be (as) worried about transmitting pathogens to animals held purely for educational purposes, we do need to be concerned about the possibility of transmitting pathogens from these animals to the local environment • gloves • footwear/footbaths • treatment of waste water • incineration of other waste

30. What about… • Universities • Laboratories • Schools • Pet shops • Pet keepers • Frog farms

31. AARK plans to write Basic Biosecurity for Amphibian Keepers document for dispersal to these sectors of the amphibian-keeping community

32. What about?