meet the mountain chicken one of the largest frogs in the world and on the
largest frogs in the world and on the
largest frogs in the world and on the Caribbean island of Montserrat it’s a
Caribbean island of Montserrat it’s a
Caribbean island of Montserrat it’s a delicacy be looking similar to the
delicacy be looking similar to the
delicacy be looking similar to the drumstick of the chicken like like the
drumstick of the chicken like like the
drumstick of the chicken like like the jump sting of the wing the you know you
jump sting of the wing the you know you
jump sting of the wing the you know you think about it the chicken mean luckily
think about it the chicken mean luckily
think about it the chicken mean luckily for this mountain chicken he’s been
for this mountain chicken he’s been
for this mountain chicken he’s been captured by researchers not hunters
captured by researchers not hunters
captured by researchers not hunters he won’t end up on a dinner plate this
he won’t end up on a dinner plate this
he won’t end up on a dinner plate this time and that’s a good thing since
time and that’s a good thing since
time and that’s a good thing since mountain chickens are critically
mountain chickens are critically
mountain chickens are critically endangered today hunting is discouraged
endangered today hunting is discouraged
endangered today hunting is discouraged on the island but it still occurs and
on the island but it still occurs and
on the island but it still occurs and other threats like habitat destruction
other threats like habitat destruction
other threats like habitat destruction and introduced predators have also taken
and introduced predators have also taken
and introduced predators have also taken their toll on Montserrat’s mountain
their toll on Montserrat’s mountain
their toll on Montserrat’s mountain chickens public an estimate that
chickens public an estimate that
chickens public an estimate that property will be a few thousand
property will be a few thousand
property will be a few thousand individuals thousand individuals in
individuals thousand individuals in
individuals thousand individuals in amphibian populations is a little
amphibian populations is a little
amphibian populations is a little population Gerardo Garcia of the Durrell
population Gerardo Garcia of the Durrell
population Gerardo Garcia of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is a
Wildlife Conservation Trust is a
Wildlife Conservation Trust is a mountain chicken expert so we’re talking
mountain chicken expert so we’re talking
mountain chicken expert so we’re talking about you know right on the edge of
about you know right on the edge of
about you know right on the edge of distinction so it’s very important to
distinction so it’s very important to
distinction so it’s very important to protect the habitat I’m Bonnie tore all
protect the habitat I’m Bonnie tore all
protect the habitat I’m Bonnie tore all the threads together with biologist Don
the threads together with biologist Don
the threads together with biologist Don Church of conservation international and
Church of conservation international and
Church of conservation international and a team of researchers working for the
a team of researchers working for the
a team of researchers working for the government of Montserrat he’s taking a
government of Montserrat he’s taking a
government of Montserrat he’s taking a closer look at the islands mountain
closer look at the islands mountain
closer look at the islands mountain chicken population but she looks in me
chicken population but she looks in me
chicken population but she looks in me what I’m going to do is to shine a light
what I’m going to do is to shine a light
what I’m going to do is to shine a light in the eye
in the eye
in the eye it’s funny very nice five people with
it’s funny very nice five people with
it’s funny very nice five people with you ready when they find a frog they
you ready when they find a frog they
you ready when they find a frog they weigh it examine it and check for
weigh it examine it and check for
weigh it examine it and check for diseases those that have been outfitted
diseases those that have been outfitted
diseases those that have been outfitted with microchips are scanned and
with microchips are scanned and
with microchips are scanned and identified no microchip in 2005 so
identified no microchip in 2005 so
identified no microchip in 2005 so Browning your animal those that aren’t
Browning your animal those that aren’t
Browning your animal those that aren’t microchipped are photographed for future
microchipped are photographed for future
microchipped are photographed for future reference
finally the researchers release the frog
finally the researchers release the frog with a few words of encouragement we do
with a few words of encouragement we do
with a few words of encouragement we do in perfect health and I hope to see you
in perfect health and I hope to see you
in perfect health and I hope to see you again on the next census now too long
again on the next census now too long
again on the next census now too long ago Mountain chickens lived on at least
ago Mountain chickens lived on at least
ago Mountain chickens lived on at least seven Caribbean islands now because of
seven Caribbean islands now because of
seven Caribbean islands now because of habitat destruction introduced predators
habitat destruction introduced predators
habitat destruction introduced predators and overhunting there found unjust to
and overhunting there found unjust to
and overhunting there found unjust to Montserrat and Dominica
Montserrat and Dominica
Montserrat and Dominica to make matters worse nearly all of
to make matters worse nearly all of
to make matters worse nearly all of those on dominica are infected with
those on dominica are infected with
those on dominica are infected with Kittery a deadly fungus that’s been
Kittery a deadly fungus that’s been
Kittery a deadly fungus that’s been known to wipe out entire frog
known to wipe out entire frog
known to wipe out entire frog populations so far Montserrat’s mountain
populations so far Montserrat’s mountain
populations so far Montserrat’s mountain chickens are fungus free but that
chickens are fungus free but that
chickens are fungus free but that doesn’t mean they’re safe with Kidron
doesn’t mean they’re safe with Kidron
doesn’t mean they’re safe with Kidron all it takes is for one infected animal
all it takes is for one infected animal
all it takes is for one infected animal to slip in from another Island Don we’re
to slip in from another Island Don we’re
to slip in from another Island Don we’re in the port of Montserrat because any
in the port of Montserrat because any
in the port of Montserrat because any arrival of the kited fungus is going to
arrival of the kited fungus is going to
arrival of the kited fungus is going to happen it will probably start here we
happen it will probably start here we
happen it will probably start here we have boats that arrive twice a week we
have boats that arrive twice a week we
have boats that arrive twice a week we fresh vegetables and fruits guess we’re
fresh vegetables and fruits guess we’re
fresh vegetables and fruits guess we’re from Dominica it would be easy for an
from Dominica it would be easy for an
from Dominica it would be easy for an infected frog to hitch a ride in a
infected frog to hitch a ride in a
infected frog to hitch a ride in a shipment of produce and once the fungus
shipment of produce and once the fungus
shipment of produce and once the fungus appears in an amphibian population
appears in an amphibian population
appears in an amphibian population there’s no way to cure it or stop it
there’s no way to cure it or stop it
there’s no way to cure it or stop it Gerardo thinks it’s just a matter of
Gerardo thinks it’s just a matter of
Gerardo thinks it’s just a matter of time before the fungus comes to
time before the fungus comes to
time before the fungus comes to Montserrat so he and his colleagues are
Montserrat so he and his colleagues are
Montserrat so he and his colleagues are already taking precautions and this
already taking precautions and this
already taking precautions and this could be their ace in the hole
could be their ace in the hole
could be their ace in the hole in the 1990s a series of volcanic
in the 1990s a series of volcanic
in the 1990s a series of volcanic eruptions devastated the southern part
eruptions devastated the southern part
eruptions devastated the southern part of the island
officials evacuated the area and
officials evacuated the area and designated it an exclusion zone
designated it an exclusion zone
designated it an exclusion zone off-limits to the public but that here
off-limits to the public but that here
off-limits to the public but that here you see is still green all the rest
you see is still green all the rest
you see is still green all the rest ashes
ashes
ashes what can I never effect that the area so
what can I never effect that the area so
what can I never effect that the area so far and nobody lives there so there is
far and nobody lives there so there is
far and nobody lives there so there is an opportunity there so there are no
an opportunity there so there are no
an opportunity there so there are no mountains she considered currently no
mountains she considered currently no
mountains she considered currently no night no night right now this is the
night no night right now this is the
night no night right now this is the option that you know you can probably
option that you know you can probably
option that you know you can probably move animals captive breeding program
move animals captive breeding program
move animals captive breeding program maybe a translocation of wild animals
maybe a translocation of wild animals
maybe a translocation of wild animals and establish a new population on the
and establish a new population on the
and establish a new population on the south of the island in his lab back in
south of the island in his lab back in
south of the island in his lab back in England Garcia has already established a
England Garcia has already established a
England Garcia has already established a breeding population of mountain chickens
breeding population of mountain chickens
breeding population of mountain chickens so in 1988 we collected a group of
so in 1988 we collected a group of
so in 1988 we collected a group of founders they were 13 frogs come in
founders they were 13 frogs come in
founders they were 13 frogs come in relief from Montserrat to develop a
relief from Montserrat to develop a
relief from Montserrat to develop a safety net population they now have more
safety net population they now have more
safety net population they now have more than 60 captive bred mountain chickens
than 60 captive bred mountain chickens
than 60 captive bred mountain chickens all potential founders for the proposed
all potential founders for the proposed
all potential founders for the proposed new population within the exclusion zone
new population within the exclusion zone
new population within the exclusion zone probably will be the last hope for the
probably will be the last hope for the
probably will be the last hope for the mountain chickens in Montserrat it
mountain chickens in Montserrat it
mountain chickens in Montserrat it something happens in the centre of the
something happens in the centre of the
something happens in the centre of the natural populations in the meantime
natural populations in the meantime
natural populations in the meantime Garcia and his partners will continue
Garcia and his partners will continue
Garcia and his partners will continue working to protect the mountain chickens
working to protect the mountain chickens
working to protect the mountain chickens that remain and for the people of
that remain and for the people of
that remain and for the people of Montserrat this creature that was once a
Montserrat this creature that was once a
Montserrat this creature that was once a national dish will hopefully become a
national dish will hopefully become a
national dish will hopefully become a national success story as well sponsored
national success story as well sponsored
national success story as well sponsored by National Geographic mission programs
by National Geographic mission programs
by National Geographic mission programs taking science and explore
taking science and explore
taking science and explore into the new millennium
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