NC PARTNERS IN AMPHIBIAN & REPTILE CONSERVATION (NCPARC)
NCPARC
N.C. Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation News
by Jeff Hall, Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Biologist
N CPARC held its annual meeting virtually online through Zoom, in March of 2024 with 114 registered attendees. Talks were given by four speakers during two hour-long sessions on back-to-back days and included themes of landscape scale conservation and disease and invasive species. Additionally, the NCPARC Steering Committee, and two working groups met during this quarter. During the annual SEPARC regional meeting, staff gave an update on NCPARC activities for the past year. Staff also gave talks on herp conservation to Pfeiffer University and the Croatan chapter of the Sierra Club.
SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED SURVEYS - AMPHIBIANS H appily, numerous winter precipitation events yielded positive results for winter amphibian breeding efforts. Surveys for SGCN amphibians such as Gopher Frog, Eastern Tiger Salamander, and Mabee’s Salamander yielded the largest number of egg masses detected at several sites in over 3 years. In the case of the Gopher Frog, two populations showed the largest num- ber of egg masses ever detected. Head-starting efforts are well underway in partnership with the NC Zoo, the NC Aquariums, NCSU CMAST, Carteret Community College, and the USFWS Edenton National Fish Hatchery. These results are particularly exciting for the Holly Shelter game land population, which has seen significant restoration efforts over past two years. Over 50 egg masses were detected among 3 different ponds on the game land, each receiving some level of restoration from either Land and Water Access staff or Wildlife Management staff, or a combination of both.
JEFF HALL/NCWRC
JEFF HALL/NCWRC
Tiger Salamander egg mass
Wildlife Diversity Biologist Aubrey Greene holds an adult female Gopher Frog captured during winter surveys.
43 2024 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
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