# Presentation: 023029

## Procedures for Monitoring and Surveying Boreal Toad Populations

- Colorado Division of Wildlife
- by Lauren J. Livo
- 2001

## How to use this slide show

- To move forward or backward in this presentation, use a mouse or the arrow keys.
- Exit at any time by pressing the ESC button on your keyboard.
- Use the mouse to select topics represented by underlined text.

## Introduction

- 	This presentation describes recommended procedures for boreal toad field workers. Please review these procedures before beginning your field season.

## Contents

- _[Decontaminating boots and equipment](slide5.xml)_
- _[Monitoring breeding sites](slide15.xml)_
- _[Surveying amphibian habitats](slide30.xml)_

## Decontaminating boots and equipment

## Why is decontamination important?

- Chytrid fungus and other pathogens are associated with die-offs and extinctions of amphibian populations
- Decontaminating boots and equipment may help reduce the chance of introducing these pathogens into sites containing boreal toads and other amphibians

## When should equipment be decontaminated?

- Decontaminate equipment before going to any site occupied by, or potentially occupied by, amphibians
- Within a drainage, you may survey multiple, adjacent sites without decontaminating equipment between sites
- Decontamination is recommended between sites separated by 2 km or more, even within a drainage
- Always decontaminate between drainages

## What needs decontamination?

- Any equipment that has been in contact with water or soil, including:
- Boots
- Waders
- Nets
- Thermometers
- Vehicles, including ATVs, especially when driven in mud or streams

## Helpful decontamination tools 

- Spray bottle containing 10%  (at least) bleach solution
- Stiff brush
- Ice scraper
- Toothpicks or screwdriver
- Dishwashing gloves
- Alcohol wipes

## Decontaminating boots and waders

- Remove boots before cleaning
- Remove all mud and debris
- Be especially careful to remove mud from soles  (use brush or toothpicks if necessary)
- Avoid using waders with felt soles

## Bleach outside surfaces

- Thoroughly spray all outside surfaces, including soles, with a bleach solution (10 %)
- Alternatively, dip boots in bleach solution

- Pressure sprayer

- Hand sprayer

## Dry thoroughly

- Do not rinse

## Decontaminating equipment (nets, thermometers, etc.)

- Rinse off mud and debris
- Dip in or wipe off with bleach solution or alcohol
- May use plastic bag to coat equipment with solution but minimize amount of solution needed
- Do not rinse
- Let dry completely

## Wash vehicles if necessary

- If you have driven a vehicle through streams or in mud, make sure to wash the vehicle before visiting other amphibian sites
- Undercarriage wash at commercial car washes is helpful for removing mud from under the vehicle

## Monitoring breeding sites

## Purposes for monitoring

- Determine status and trends for known boreal toad breeding populations
- Number of toads present
- Number of egg masses deposited
- Collect detailed mark/recapture data (selected sites only)

## Handling amphibians

- When possible, minimize or avoid handling amphibians
- When handling amphibians is necessary, use disposable gloves

## Purpose of using gloves

- Protects amphibians from substances on hands, such as:
- Sunscreens
- Insect repellents
- Lotions
- Changing gloves between animals may help limit their exposure to pathogens

## Types of footwear

- Hiking boots
- Knee-high boots
- Hip waders

## Hiking boots

- Waterproof hiking boots helpful
- May be adequate for surveys of some sites, but water at many sites is too deep for hiking boots to permit a complete survey of habitat

## Knee-high boots

- Sufficient for surveys at many sites
- Not compact, so may be impractical for hikes to remote sites
- Often uncomfortable for walking long distances

## Waders

- Especially useful at complex sites
- Standard hip waders
- Durable, readily available
- Tend to be heavy and bulky, making them impractical for hikes to remote sites
- Lightweight hip waders (such as Aleutian brand)
- Suitable for packing into remote areas
- Require dive booties or heavy-duty sandals
- Not as durable as standard hip waders

## Equipment checklist

- Monitoring equipment
- Data sheet / PDA
- 	(personal digital assistant)
- Site map
- Pencil/waterproof pen
- Flashlight
- Thermometer
- Disposable gloves
- Water sample bottles

- Suggested personal gear
- Warm clothes
- Boots or waders
- Rain gear
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Polarized sun glasses
- First aid kit

## Egg counts

- Conduct at breeding sites during daylight hours
- May tag egg masses so they can be avoided during night surveys
- Egg mass tags should be discrete (for example, upright sticks), especially in public areas
- Remove tags when leaving site

## Night surveys

- Used to assess status of breeding populations
- Begin survey 1⁄2 to 1 hour after sunset
- Make single circuit of breeding site, counting all toads observed
- Count number of pairs in amplexus

## Filling out data sheets

- Complete data sheets or fill in PDA form at time of survey
- For data sheets, use pencil or pen with waterproof ink (regular ink runs when wet)
- Attach site map and site photo (if available) to data sheet
- Note unusual observations (including predation events, low hatching rates, etc.)
- Keep completed forms in a field notebook

## Emergency translocation of eggs or tadpoles

- On occasion, you may find boreal toad eggs or tadpoles threatened by the rapid drying of their pool
- Such eggs or tadpoles may be translocated to more stable pools within a half-mile radius

## Translocated eggs

- Document any such translocation
- Number of egg masses or tadpoles involved
- Date of translocation
- Locations of drying site and recipient site
- Inform your supervisor

## Safety issues

- Before going to field sites, ensure that someone knows where you are going and when you expect to return
- Lightning storms
- More common during summer afternoons than in the mornings
- Move away from open areas (ponds, meadows, areas above treeline) to forested areas or a vehicle
- Stream crossings
- Unbuckle backpack before crossing streams
- Don’t attempt a crossing if the water is too high or fast

## Surveying amphibian habitats

## Purposes of surveys

- To check out boreal toad or unusual amphibian sightings reported by members of the public
- To check historic boreal toad habitat to determine whether it is currently occupied
- To locate previously unknown boreal toad populations and breeding sites

## Equipment checklist

- Items on monitoring equipment checklist
- Global Positioning System (GPS) unit
- Copy of map showing area to be surveyed
- Camera (if possible)

## Surveying sites

- Surveys usually are conducted during daylight hours
- Make complete circuit of pond(s)
- Check shallow areas for toads, eggs, or tadpoles
- As directed by crew leader, for example, make broad zig-zags through potential non-breeding habitat
- Marshy or boggy areas
- Willow habitat
- Shrubby cinquefoil habitat

- Red indicates general search pattern

## Verifying your identification

- Ensure that your identification is correct
- Compare the appearance of eggs, tadpoles, or adult amphibians with an identification guide
- Meadow jumping mouse
- Occupies the same kind of habitat used by boreal toads
- Frequently gives the impression of a boreal toad (general size and color) but jumps more quickly

## Completing data sheet

- Complete data sheets / fill out PDA forms at time of survey
- For data sheets, use pencil or pen with waterproof ink (regular ink runs when wet)
- Indicate area searched on copy of map and attach to data sheet
- Take photos
- Document site
- Document toads, tadpoles, eggs, or unusual observations
- Keep completed data sheets in a field notebook