Louise Havndrup (KU-BIO), Leif Lau Jeppesen (KU-BIO), Mads Bertelsen, Mikkel Stelvig

Anuran populations are declining all over the world due to habitat destruction, global warming and pollution to name a few. However, a recent and more serious threat has arisen in the form of the disease Chytridiomycosis caused by the very virulent fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. The fungus infects the stratum corneum (the outer layer of the skin) of the anurans and is fatal. Due to these rapid declines and the uncontrollable fungal disease, the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan was produced at the Amphibian Conservation Summit in 2005. Zoos and aquariums around the world are to maintain the anuran population through breeding programmes and reintroduce the frogs and toads to their natural environment, once the threat of the fungus has passed. If the reintroduction is to be successful, it is of vital importance that the natural behaviour of these animals is maintained. A possible tool could be through environmental enrichment in all stages of the breeding programmes.

This project has tested if six individuals of the blue poison frog, Dendrobates azureus, have a preference for a specific background colour in quarantine-like conditions. Three background colours were tested: White, Green and Blue. Tbe vivarium was divided into to halves, testing to background colours against each other. This study contained five set-ups in all. It was also tested, if the different colours had an effect on the activity and the behaviour elements of climbing, jumping and foraging.

The result showed that the frogs preferred the blue background and the relative activity was higher in the Blue vs. Green set-up (the last set-up), but not with a statistically significant difference in the relative activity between the set-ups. The jumping and foraging behaviour showed a statistic difference between the first and the last set-up. Since they contain the same two colours (green and blue), this iudicated that a habituation to the set-up over time, was present.
Furthermore the data indicated an acclimatisation period of about 5 days for the frogs.