As America Marks 250 Years, This Toad Is Vanishing. Can Texas Save It?
Forbes By Noël Fletcher Noël Fletcher reports on urgent conservation efforts by ARC and partners to save the Endangered Houston toad, including the release of more than 1 million eggs in Central Texas as habitat loss continues to threaten the species’ survival. Read Full Article
Why scientists are racing to catch this rare NC salamander
PBS North Carolina, Sci NC By Frank Graff PBS North Carolina features ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca and partners in a segment on emergency efforts to rescue the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander following Hurricane Helene, documenting the work to establish a captive breeding program to safeguard this imperiled species. Watch Full Piece
Long-term toad recovery underway at Bastrop State Park
Elgin Courier By Dylan Roddy Dylan Roddy covers ARC’s partnership in the release of more than 1 million Houston toad eggs at Bastrop State Park, showcasing long-term recovery efforts focused on habitat restoration and private landowner engagement to help recover the Endangered species. Read Full Article
The tiny frog that could: How Arizona is pulling a threatened species back from the edge
Arizona Mirror By Jerod MacDonald-Evoy Jerod MacDonald-Evoy highlights the ARC team and partners creating new wetlands for the Threatened Chiricahua leopard frog in Arizona, quoting ARC Southwestern Program Coordinator Becca Cozad about efforts to support the species’ recovery amid ongoing drought and disease threats. Read Full Article
1 million Houston toad eggs released in Central Texas to help the native species make a comeback
Houston Public Media By Kyle McClenagan Kyle McClenagan features a quote from ARC Private Lands Biologist Zach Truelock about our work with partners to recover the Endangered Houston toad in Central Texas, including the recent release of more than 1 million eggs. Read Full Article
1 million Houston toad eggs released in Austin-area state park in restoration effort
Houston Chronicle By Michael Garcia Michael Garcia covers ARC’s partnership in efforts to recover the Endangered Houston toad in Texas, featuring the release of more than 1 million eggs and a quote from ARC Private Lands Biologist Zach Truelock. Read Full Article
Saving the Houston toads: More than a million eggs being released at three different locations
KHOU 11 By Randy Klein Randy Klein reports on ARC’s partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Houston Zoo, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to recover the Endangered Houston toad through captive breeding and ongoing habitat restoration efforts. Read Full Article
Search and Rescue
Nature Conservancy Magazine By Ashley Stimpson Ashley Stimpson joins ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca and partners in the field to document efforts to locate and rescue the rare Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander following hurricane damage in North Carolina. Read Full Article
Conservation group’s map highlights cool animals right in your backyard
KHQA ABC7 Local News By Cassie Schoene Cassie Schoene highlights ARC’s new United States of Herpetofauna map featuring a reptile or amphibian for each state and quotes Executive Director JJ Apodaca about the threats these species face and how to protect them. Read Full Article
Crew of two saves rare salamanders from drying up at Fort Stewart
Savannah Morning News By Jillian Magtoto Jillian Magtoto covers the ARC team’s documentation and recovery of the frosted flatwoods salamander in Georgia, where adults had not been seen for nearly two decades before our 2023 detection. Read Full Article
What does an inbred frog have to do with South Carolina’s wetlands?
Greenville News By Travis Jacque Rose Travis Jacque Rose features the ARC team in his article on Carolina gopher frogs in South Carolina, examining how drought, habitat loss, and reduced wetland protections are disrupting breeding for this state-endangered species. Read Full Article
What does the future look like for SC’s wetlands? Inbred frogs may hold some clues.
The Post and Courier By Jonah Chester Jonah Chester profiles ARC’s efforts to safeguard Carolina gopher frogs in South Carolina, showcasing our team, partners, and targeted actions that are helping this species survive in increasingly degraded and fragmented wetlands. Read Full Article
Inside the audacious mission to bring a rare toad back from the brink
Vox By Christine Peterson Christine Peterson features ARC Private Lands Biologist Zach Truelock and our partners in her piece on efforts to save the Endangered Houston toad through assisted reproduction, private landowner partnerships, and large-scale habitat restoration. Read Full Article
One Year After Helene, North Carolina Residents Reflect on the Storm and Look to the Future
Garden and Gun By JJ Apodaca from reflections compiled by Lindsey Liles Executive Director JJ Apodaca reflects on ARC’s efforts to rescue Hickory Nut Gorge green salamanders and protect rivers after Hurricane Helene and the ways Southern Appalachia’s communities are rebuilding stronger and more resilient. Read Full Article
Rescuing salamanders from hurricane destruction
The Wildlife Society By Joshua Rapp Learn Joshua Rapp Learn reports on the efforts, led by ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca, to rescue the critically imperiled Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander after Hurricane Helene destroyed much of its habitat. Read Full Article
The US has a bullfrog problem
Vox By Benji Jones Benji Jones outlines how invasive American bullfrogs are wreaking ecological havoc in the Western US and includes the perspective of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca about the outsized impact these predators have on native species. Read Full Article
Scientists are trekking into the heart of a hurricane disaster zone — to save these rare creatures
Vox By Benji Jones Benji Jones features our rescue missions of the critically imperiled Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander following Hurricane Helene, alongside our partners, with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca leading efforts to collect and safeguard the remaining individuals from destroyed habitats. Read Full Article
Road to glory: The eastern box turtle’s path to state symbol status
Word from the Smokies ColumnAsheville Citizen Times By Holly Kays Holly Kays reports on the eastern box turtle’s path to becoming the state reptile in both Tennessee and North Carolina, with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca weighing in on the turtle’s cultural and ecological significance. Read Full Article
Biologists release 1,200 salamanders in restored Panhandle wetlands
Tallahassee Democrat By Stephanie Haan-Amato ARC Communications Director Stephanie Haan-Amato discusses the work of ARC Biologists to release more than 1,200 frosted flatwoods salamanders into restored Florida wetlands as part of a comprehensive effort to save one of North America’s most endangered amphibians. Read Full Article
Amid Damage From Helene, Hellbenders May Get Endangered Species Listing
National Parks Traveler By Holly Kays Holly Kays covers the proposed listing of the eastern hellbender as an Endangered species and discusses the threats to the giant salamander with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
1,200 Rare Salamanders Released in Florida Days After 42 Snakes Were Set Free in the State
People By Kelli Bender Kelli Bender covers the recent release of more than 1,200 frosted flatwoods salamander larvae (like tadpoles) into restored Florida Panhandle wetlands by ARC Biologists and partners. Read Full Article
Florida is full of expensive restoration projects. Conservation would be cheaper.
Florida Phoenix By Craig Pittman In his commentary column, Craig Pittman discusses the recovery of the frosted flatwoods salamander in the Florida Panhandle and how these costly efforts could have been avoided. Read Full Article
If You Smell Cucumber in the Woods, Is There a Copperhead Nearby?
Garden & Gun By Lindsey Liles Lindsey Liles fact-checks the old Southern saying that if you smell cucumber in the woods there’s a copperhead nearby and includes quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
SEWE: Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy
ABC 4 News Lowcountry Live By Luismario Rivera Erin Kienzle interviews ARC Coastal Plains Program Coordinator Ben Morrison at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) and discusses the importance of reptiles and amphibians in the region. Watch Full Piece
Headstarting program gives endangered amphibians, reptiles a boost
Wildlife News By The Wildlife Society The Wildlife Society reports on ARC’s large-scale headstarting efforts for amphibians and reptiles across the US. Read Full Article
Park embarks on cutting-edge hellbender study
Word from the Smokies ColumnAsheville Citizen Times By Holly Kays Holly Kays discusses an upcoming eastern hellbender study in the Great Smoky Mountains PARCA and includes quotes from Executive Director JJ Apodaca about our work for the project. Read Full Article
Amid damage from Helene, hellbenders may get endangered species listing
Word from the Smokies ColumnBiltmore Beacon By Holly Kays Holly Kays covers the proposed listing of the eastern hellbender as an Endangered species and discusses the threats to the giant salamander with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Are we living through the end of wildlife migrations?
Vox By Christine Peterson Christine Peterson reported on how the migrations of salamanders and other wildlife have changed as a result of human development and included the perspective of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Hurricane Helene’s damage spurs calls to protect NC’s threatened species
Public News Service By Shanteya Hudson Shanteya Hudson covers the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and its impacts on the North Carolina’s sensitive species and includes quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Hurricane Helene Battered the ‘Salamander Capital of the World’ With Floods and Landslides. Will the Beloved Amphibians Survive the Aftermath?
Smithsonian Magazine By Alexa Robles-Gil Alexa Robles-Gil reports on the impacts of Hurricane Helene on the salamanders of the Southern Appalachians and includes the perspectives of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca and Coastal Plains Coordinator Ben Morrison. Read Full Article
$5 million awarded for endangered Houston Toad habitat rehabilitation
Houston Public Media By Kyle McClenagan Kyle McClenagan discusses a new Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant awarded to ARC and our partners from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for a large-scale habitat restoration program for the Houston toad. Read Full Article
Conservation group receives $5 million grant to fund habitat restoration for Houston toad
Houston Chronicle By John Lomax V John Lomax covers a new large-scale Post Oak Savannah habitat restoration program led by ARC in Texas aimed at Endangered Houston toad recovery and, hopefully, eventual de-listing of the species. Read Full Article
Meet 7 newly described frog species, all named after Star Trek characters
NPR Short Wave Podcast By Emily Kwong, Regina G. Barber, Rachel Carlson, & Hannah Chinn NPR journalists report on recently described frog species in Madagascar and include quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca about the significance of the discovery for frog evolution and conservation. Read & Listen to Full Piece
Snakes in the grass–or something else?
FOX Carolina By Luis Rosario McCabe Luis Rosario McCabe reports on glass lizards in the Southeastern US and features an interview with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca and videos and photos from the ARC Team. View and Read Full Piece
How We ‘Almost Saved’ The Now-Extinct Kihansi Spray Toad
Forbes By Scott Travers Scott Travers tells the story of the Kihansi spray toad’s extinction as a cautionary tale and mentions ARC’s work as a way to prevent the same outcome for amphibians in the US. Read Full Article
There’s a secret wildlife wonderland hidden in the US — and it’s in danger
Vox By Benji Jones Benji Jones writes about his time with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca exploring the salamander diversity of the Appalachian Mountains and highlights the economic history of the region along with the impacts of the historic and current extractive uses of the land. Read Full Article
Love summer but hate pesky bugs? These predators are nature’s pest control
National Geographic By Christine Peterson Christine Peterson discusses the impacts of five bug-eating predators on pest populations and includes a quote from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca about eastern newts. Read Full Article
BLM could throw a lifeline to amphibians and reptiles
Public News Service By Eric Galatas Eric Galatas talks about the impacts of the newly finalized Bureau of Land Management Public Lands Rule on amphibians and reptiles with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read & Listen to Full Piece
What should we do about bullfrogs?
The Tuscaloosa News By Whit Gibbons ARC Board Member Whit Gibbons discusses the challenges of managing the American bullfrog, which is native to the Eastern US but introduced in the West, and includes quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
The Wild Truth: Conservationists Hope to Rescue Hickory Nut Gorge Green Salamander from Extinction
The Laurel of Asheville By Paul Musto Paula Musto writes about the consideration of the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander for protection under the Endangered Species Act and includes the perspective of ARC Executive Director and co-discoverer of the species, JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Reptiles are Highly Emotional, Contrary to Their Cold Reputation
Discover Magazine By Lily Carey Lily Carey reports on research that’s demonstrated the social and emotional behaviors of reptiles and features quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
‘Wary’ pond turtles are now in the clamorous ESA arena
E&ENews Greenwire By Michael Doyle Michael Doyle covers the proposed listing of two species of western pond turtles for protection under the Endangered Species Act and includes the perspective of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Local biologist receives national prize to combat turtle trafficking
Mountain Xpress By Chase Davis Chase Davis highlights ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca’s genetic sequencing work to help confiscated turtles that were illegally collected from the wild and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize he received for his innovative solutions to the issue. Read Full Article
Unique Hickory Nut Gorge green salamanders considered for Endangered Species Act listing
Asheville Citizen Times By Iris Seaton Iris Seaton discusses the potential listing of the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander for protection under the Endangered Species Act and includes quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca who co-discovered the species. Read Full Article
Asheville scientist combats illegal turtle trafficking with genetics, receives $100K prize
Asheville Citizen Times By Iris Seaton Iris Seaton covers ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca’s efforts to help illegally poached turtles return to their home ranges and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize he received for this work. Read Full Article
Scientists looked at nearly every known amphibian type. They’re not doing great.
NPR By Nathan Rott Nathan Rott summarizes the findings of a new study in the journal Nature assessing the global status of amphibians and features the perspective of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Climate change is driving many amphibians toward extinction
Washington Post By Dino Grandoni Dino Grandoni covers a new study in the journal Nature about the threats faced by declining amphibians worldwide and includes quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Gene Genius: JJ Apodaca
Garden & Gun By Lindsey Liles ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca was named one of ten Champions of Conservation 2023 by Garden & Gun magazine, and Lindsey Liles features his conservation genetics expertise in this piece. Read Full Article
Matthew Rothstein Annual Bioblitz
Arizona Daily Star By Grace Trejo Photographer Grace Trejo documents ARC’s second Matthew Rothstein Annual Bioblitz at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in Tucson, Arizona and captures the ARC Team, participants, and landscape. View Full Photo Essay
Learning to Love Rocks
Ambrook Research By Ethan Freedman Ethan Freedman reviews two recent scientific papers about the importance of rock cover for reptiles on working lands and includes the expertise of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Scientists are learning more about the most endangered, and cutest, turtle in North America
WVTF Virginia Public Radio By Roxy Todd Roxy Todd discusses conserving the highly endangered turtle bog turtle and includes the perspective of ARC Southern Appalachian Program Coordinator Mike Knoerr and teammates. Read & Listen to Full Piece
With growing subdivisions and drought, is it too late to recover the ‘Goldilocks’ frog?
The Post and Courier By Clare Fieseler Clare Fieseler covers the Carolina gopher frog program in the Francis Marion PARCA, administered along with our partners, and features the work of ARC team members Ben Morrison and Sydney Sheedy. Read Full Article
Bullfrogs are invading Sheridan, threatening native species
WyoFile By Christine Peterson Christine Peterson writes about the impacts of invasive bullfrogs in the Sheridan, Wyoming, area and includes a discussion with Executive Director JJ Apodaca about ARC’s expertise with the species. Read Full Article
Efforts are underway to protect snakes, frogs in the Gila area
NM Political Report By Hannah Grover Hannah Grover discusses efforts to recover three federally-listed Threatened species in New Mexico, featuring quotes from members of the ARC Leadership Team. Read Full Article
One-fifth of the world’s reptiles are at risk of extinction
Scripps News By Chloe Nordquist Chloe Nordquist covers the drastic declines of reptiles and amphibians worldwide and includes the perspective of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
Why Tiny Ponds and Singing Frogs Matter So Much
The New York Times Guest Essay By Margaret Renkl Margaret Renkl explains the significance of seasonal wetlands for frogs and salamanders – and, ultimately, for humans – in an essay featuring quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca and photos from the Francis Marion PARCA (Priority Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Area). Read Full Article
A terrifying fungal disease is infecting frogs in Africa. Here’s why it matters.
CNN By Jackie Wattles Jackie Wattles covers a devastating amphibian disease called chytridiomycosis caused by chytrid fungi and how it has impacted frogs and salamanders worldwide in an article featuring quotes from ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
What We Can Learn From This Magnificent Migration
The New York Times Guest Essay By Margaret Renkl Margaret Renkl discusses the sense of wonder she experienced visiting a wildlife refuge in Alabama to view sandhill cranes and the importance of wetland habitats for numerous other species. Read Full Article
A Day Tracking Diamondbacks
Garden & Gun By Lindsey Liles Lindsey Liles describes the experience of joining the ARC Team in the field to track rare eastern diamondback rattlesnakes in the Francis Marion Priority Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Area (PARCA) in South Carolina. Read Full Article
Putting a Stop to Turtle Trafficking
Garden & Gun By Lindsey Liles Lindsey Liles covers the issue of turtle poaching and trafficking in the southern US and includes the perspective of ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca. Read Full Article
A Passion for Wildlife Genetics
The Wildlife Society Today’s Wildlife Professional By Dana Kobilinksky Dana Kobilinsky features ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca’s leadership and conservation genetics work in the field of amphibians and reptiles and beyond. Read Full Article
Saving the South’s Tiniest and Rarest Turtles
Garden & Gun By Lindsey Liles Lindsey Liles chronicles the time spent in the field with ARC Executive Director JJ Apodaca to study very small and imperiled bog turtles in North Carolina. Read Full Article
Rare Frogs Get a Helping Hand
South Carolina Wildlife Magazine By Jeff Holmes Former ARC Executive Director Jeff Holmes tells the story of imperiled gopher frogs in the Francis Marion Priority Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Area (PARCA) and ARC’s work for their conservation. Read Full Article