Shopping cart
The following article is a foundational call to action by Philippe de Vosjoli. As the creator and promoter of herpetoculture as both a philosophy and a discipline, and a co-founder of the Vivarium magazine and the American Federation of Herpetoculture (AFH), de Vosjoli brings decades of expertise to a critical question: what is the true longevity of our captive populations?
In this piece, de Vosjoli challenges the “delusion” of diversity created by colorful morphs and commercial abundance, urging keepers and organizations to shift their focus toward genetic health and self-sustaining populations. By establishing objective criteria for success, he provides a roadmap for securing the future of herpetoculture in an era of increasing global restrictions.
The crowned treefrog (Anotheca spinosa) and the Mexican dumpy treefrog (Pachymedusa dacnicolor) are two examples of frog species that historically became briefly available and captive-bred then faded away. These beautiful frogs have recently become available again but not enough generations have been produced to meet the criteria for self-sustaining captive populations.
The Looming Threat of Isolation
If imports were to stop tomorrow, what would herpetoculture be left with in 10 years? In 20 years? Since then, exports of amphibians and reptiles have undergone waves of availability with a trend toward more restrictions.
The modern herpetocultural movement is barely forty years old. The threat of import shutdowns remains and steadily grows through increasing legislation that not only limits the species available but, above all, shuts down the introduction of new blood to increase the diversity of the limited gene pools currently in zooculture. In the US, using the Lacey Act as a tool, legislation has shut down the importation of many species bred in other countries, with the consequence that captive gene pools of species of interest to hobbyists may be too small for their populations to survive long-term.
Bob Mailloux and I were the first to breed the now popular Chacoan horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) and the Joazeiro horned frog (Ceratophrys joazeirensis). The Chacoan horned frog is now firmly established in captivity but we hit a breeding wall with the Joazeiro horned frog after the F2 generation. Our original animals consisted of a single adult pair offered at a reptile show as C. aurita. We bred and distributed several hundreds worldwide but there is little indication this species is still captive-bred.
The Diversity Delusion
Reptile shows and reptile classifieds sites can give the impression that all is well: a great number of species available. Contributing to the diversity delusion is the range of morphotypes of a handful of species that dominate shows and various media, including advertising and social media. There is a basis for the delusion. Historically, we distinguish species by differences in color and pattern. That principle cannot be applied to the current herpetocultural environment. What may appear to the general public as diversity is a handful of species transformed by designer herpetoculture.
The real picture requires an objective assessment of the biodiversity of self-sustaining populations established in herpetoculture.
The availability of Amazonian horned frogs (Ceratophrys cornuta) currently depends on regular imports from Suriname. Captive-bred froglets are usually the product of a single breeding of imports induced by hormone injection. Few of the offspring are successfully raised to adult size and multigenerational breeding for this species has not been achieved.
Defining Self-Sustaining Populations
A first step is for us to determine criteria to consider a species established as a self-sustaining population. Criteria include:
- Founder Stock: The number of original wild-caught founder stock to reduce risks of inbreeding depression. Ideally, at least 50, but for some species 20 could end up proving enough.
- Generational Success: The number of generations produced in captivity. This depends on the species, but ideally at least ten generations.
- Fecundity: Species that are highly fecund (producing many offspring annually) generate so many offspring that the sheer numbers can provide a hedge against the species becoming extinct in herpetoculture. With large numbers, harmful recessive mutations are more likely to become diluted/heterozygous and not combined.
- Ease of Care: Species that are adaptable and maintained under conditions that are relatively easy to provide are more likely to survive and breed in the hands of keepers.
- Commercial Demand: Demand and price justify the economic and labor costs dedicated to production and maintaining captive populations.
Serrated coneheads (Laemanctus serratus) rank among the very best display lizards but, as with most Coythophanidae, their population status in the hobby appears to be on a steady course of decline.
A Case Study in Genetic Bottlenecks
For the sake of it and to assess the current status, let us look at the first four major groups of lizards kept in herpetoculture in alphabetical order: Agamidae, Anguidae, Chamaeleonidae, and Cordylidae.
If imports were to stop tomorrow, how many species in these families would meet the criteria for self-sustaining, established captive populations, and how many would remain in herpetoculture in ten years? Add the practice of line breeding for color and pattern and you end up with a high probability of genetic bottlenecks leading to possible inbreeding depression. Failing to address this is a “head-in-the-sand” position that will have long-term serious consequences.
Let’s consider the first family, Agamidae. How many species can be considered established self-sustaining populations? Anyone willing to guess? Are even ten species of this large and diverse family established, such that one could assure they would still be in the hobby ten years from now?
Fading, fading….almost gone. Bob Mailloux of Sandfire Dragon Ranch was the first to produce the waxy monkey frog (Phyllomedusa sauvagei) on some level of commercial scale. After many years of production up to an F2 generation, it seems like a breeding wall may have been reached. Few individuals of this species remain in the US and there are concerted efforts to produce another generation. A small gene pool of the founder stock, difficulties at long term maintenance and the unavailability of wild -collected stock all likely played a role in the decline of this species in collections.
The Path Forward: Assessment and Action
Going over the list of families of reptiles and amphibians and making an objective assessment of their status in captivity will let us know the true state of herpetoculture. Many species that we consider among the most beautiful and desirable of the reptiles and amphibians will disappear from herpetoculture unless we act to increase their gene pools and determine the conditions for multi-generation breeding.
This is not a doomsday message, but one that should make us all realize how much cutting-edge work and enterprise is still needed in our field of endeavor. It sets a plan for our future.
I would propose that we create a Herpetocultural Assessment Group and put out a call for volunteers to make and maintain an assessment of the self-sustaining status of species by taking responsibility for one or more families.
