Join Denita Weeks (PhD), Assistant Professor at Colorado Mesa University, to learn about local bullfrog eradication efforts in Western Colorado! This is a 1-hour virtual webinar.
When: December 19th from 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Where: Virtual - a link will be sent to you prior to the event
What: American Bullfrogs are an invasive species in western Colorado where they carry diseases that could impact our native amphibians. In addition, they have been known to prey upon our native species. Through a multi-year project in collaboration with Bureau of Land Management, USGS, and Colorado Parks & Wildlife, locations have been identified where Bullfrogs have invaded the wilderness areas in McInnis Canyon National Conservation Area (MCNCA). Of particular importance is Mee Canyon because a variety of native amphibians occur in this remote canyon and Bullfrogs are an encroaching threat. As part of an effort to involve the local community in local conservation of our wilderness, annual citizen science events have involved education about the impacts of invasive species and community volunteer assistance of Bullfrog removal from local wetlands. These removed Bullfrogs are tested for an amphibian fungal disease, the diet contents are analyzed, and they will be donated to K-12 schools for science dissection labs.
This event is free and open to the public.
About the speaker
Denita Weeks, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Colorado Mesa University and active in amphibian conservation on the western slope. She earned her doctoral degree from The University of Memphis where she specialized in disease mitigation strategies for an amphibian fungal disease. Her current project with students and community members involves surveys on native amphibians and the threat presented to them by invasive species and disease.