About Project Golden Frog

Project Golden Frog/Proyecto Rana Dorada (PGF/PRD) began in 1998 as a cooperative consortium between several United States and Panamanian institutions as a response to the predicted impacts of the impending amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (B.d.) in central Panama.

The founders, Roberto Ibanez, Ph.D. (of University of Panama/Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute), Erik Lindquist, Ph.D. (of Lee University at the time) Anthony Wisnieski (formerly of the Baltimore Zoo), and Kevin Zippel, Ph.D. (formerly of the Detroit Zoo; currently leading IUCN's Amphibian Ark), wisely focused their attention on one species, Atelopus zeteki, which would be lost to the killer fungus within a few years due to its montane locality and low disease-resistance.

PGF/PRD's primary goal to preserve the culturally-significant golden frog though an ex situ conservation breeding program, field studies, and educational programs has made the attractive frog a flagship species for amphibian decline issues within Panama and become a model for similar efforts worldwide.

Current PGF/PRD personnel include the following:

• Vicky Poole (Fort Worth Zoo) – PGF/PRD & PGF SSP Coordinator
• Kevin Barrett (Maryland Zoo in Baltimore) – SSP Vice Coordinator & Population Manager
• Heidi Ross (EVACC) – Panama PGF Population Manager & In-country specialist
• Claire Lannoye-Hall (Detroit Zoological Society) – Education Advisor
• Ellen Bronson, DVM (Maryland Zoo in Baltimore) – Vet Advisor
• Eduardo Valdez, PhD (Disney) – Nutrition Advisor
• Andy Kouba, PhD (Mississippi State University) – Assisted Reproduction Advisor
• Tom Weaver (Denver Zoo) – Treasurer
• Robert Hill (Zoo Atlanta): Fundraising Coordinator
• Mark Mandica (The Amphibian Foundation): Website Designer & Manager

Our wonderfully committed consultants are:

• Erik Lindquist, Ph.D., Project Consultant
• Roberto Ibanez, Ph.D., Project Consultant

Our generous contributing photographers are:

• Joel Sartore | Photo Ark
• Bill Hughes
• Vicky Poole
• C. Richards-Zawacki
• N. Ellis
• Mark Beshel
• Edgardo Griffith
• Meredith Whitney
• Atelopus zeteki illustration by Mark Mandica

Thanks for the endeavors and support from past coordinators and advisors:

• Erik Lindquist, Ph.D. (Founder)
• Anthony Wisnieski  (Founder)
• Kevin Zippel, Ph.D. (Founder)
• Kevin Wright, DVM
• Rick Haeffner
• Meredith Whitney
• Kevin Murphy
• Bill Hughes