The Bezos Earth Fund and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are leading a groundbreaking effort to save Latin America’s most endangered amphibians. Through science-driven conservation, this initiative is protecting species on the brink, restoring populations, and strengthening long-term resilience.
Saving Frog Populations Across the Neotropics
Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates on the planet, yet they receive far less attention than other endangered species. With more than 40% facing extinction, the crisis is particularly severe in Latin America, home to nearly half of the world’s amphibian diversity.
The Tropical Amphibian Resilience Initiative (TARI), powered by a $2 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, is fighting to save at least 25 highly threatened frog species across Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Led by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) alongside the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, the Amphibian Survival Alliance, Parque Explora (Colombia), FUDECI (Venezuela), Centro Jambatu (Ecuador), and the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, TARI is tackling the crisis through three key strategies: expanding captive breeding programs, leading breakthrough disease research, and returning threatened species to their natural habitats.
TARI strengthens four breeding centers, which serve as lifelines for at-risk species, and is working to increase captive populations by 15%. It has also established a first-of-its-kind Amphibian Biobank, preserving genetic material critical for future recovery efforts.
Beyond direct conservation, TARI is embedding amphibian conservation in national policies. By supporting the update of National Amphibian Action Plans in all four countries and aligning them with global biodiversity goals, the initiative ensures that these often-overlooked species remain a priority.
Each year, over 1,000 students engage in hands-on education programs, helping to build a new generation of conservation advocates.
Through practical science, habitat protection, and on-the-ground recovery efforts, the Bezos Earth Fund and its partners are ensuring amphibians can rebound and thrive for generations.