Annual Report- 2007 - Zoo Negara

ZOOLOGYREPTILES & AMPHIBIANSThe year 2008 is declared the Year of the Frogby the World Association of Zoos and Aquarium(WAZA). Zoo Negara was appointed as thecountry representative will play a major role inspearheading this conservation effort to addressthe amphibian extinction crisis in the South EastAsian region. We have taken part in creating publicawareness by first, engaging visitors to get toknow our Malaysian indigenous species of anura(frog). A major portion of the Reptile House havebeen renovated to accommodate 19 local speciesof Anuras. The section is now formally known asthe Reptile & Amphibian (R&A) Section.AMPHIBIAN WORLDThe Amphibian portion is known to the public asAmphibian World and is currently located at the upperlevel of the section. Occupying snakes were shiftedto the ground floor exhibits whereas compatiblesnakes we exhibited in mix species exhibit.TheR&A section started out by collecting informationon captive husbandry on amphibians and followedup by ‘frogging’ expeditions in collaborationwith herpetologist from Universiti KebangsaanMalaysia and Universiti Malaya. Universiti MalaysiaSabah has also been fully supportive towardsthe establishment of Amphibian World by addingBornean specimens to the collection.About 19 species were collected in total comprisingall five families of Malaysian frogs, Ranidaes,Microhylidaes, Rhacophoridaes, Bufonidaes, andMegophyridaes. Among the collection exhibitedincludes the Wallace’s flying frog, Reinwardt’s flyingfrogs, Malayan horned frogs, Brown tree toads andthe Poison rock frog. We had successfully managedtokeepthesefragilea n i m a l sespecially theWallace’s flying frogand the Reinwardt’sflying frog alive formore than six month.Besides exhibiting frogs,we have also set up anexhibit which enablesthe public to view thedevelopment of frogsfrom tadpoles to froglets(baby frogs). The exhibitsare also furnished withcomprehensive informationon each species to further educatethe public.REPTILE HOUSENew exhibit highlighted in 2007 is the Dog ToothedCat snakes (Boiga cynodon). Dog Toothed Catsnakes are rear fanged mildly venomous snakeswith cat like eyes, slender and long bodies withtiger like patterns.The R&A section played host to Dr. Brady Barr fromthe National Geographic channel. Documentationof the squeeze force of our largest reticulatedpython was recorded.Besides that, research on the genetic work up ofthe juvenile Tomistoma crocodiles (Tomistomaschlegelii) was done by Dr Taranjeet Kaur in2007. Sampling (blood and tissue) from all sevenjuveniles had been taken for genetic studies. Thelength of the juveniles ranges was recorded from50-126cm with the body weight ranging from 0.2- 6kg.18