September Amphibian Advocate of the Month
Paul Crump
Amphibian Conservation Programs Manager
Houston Zoo
The Houston Zoo's own expert herpetologist, Paul Crump, is responsible for Zoo conservation projects that target threatened native Texas and exotic Panamanian amphibians, including captive breeding, reintroduction, and field and laboratory research. Paul earned his undergraduate degree in Genetics from the University of Wales in 2005 and has been employed by the Houston Zoo for the past five years. In that time he has distinguished himself as an active participant in Project Golden Frog, a member of the steering committee of the AZA's Amphibian TAG, and a Visiting Scholar in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at Rice University.
Previous Month Amphibian Advocates
Dr. Joseph R. Mendelson III
Curator of Herpetology, Zoo Atlanta
Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology,
Utah State University
Ph.D. University of Kansas, 1997
Dr. Mendelson has been studying Neotropical amphibians and reptiles for almost 20 years, concentrating on Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, and Peru. Most of his work has involved systematics and taxonomy―including the discovery and description of about 50 new species of amphibians. Other studies have included phylogenetic studies, field ecology, and conservation.
In recent years, as the crisis of global amphibian extinctions has really come to light, Dr. Mendelson has redirected much of his energy into conservation programs to help save amphibians and understand the root causes of their declines, and to conceive and implement pro-active conservation programs. This professional transition included transferring from an academic appointment to a position at a zoo. The results of his work have been published in journals such as Science, Molecular Ecology, and Journal of Herpetology.
Kevin C. Zippel, Ph.D
B.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, 1994
Ph.D. Zoology, University of Florida, 2000
Kevin worked for one year (1999) as a curatorial intern in the Department of Herpetology at the Wildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo while he finished his doctorate. There he was also a founding member of Project Golden Frog a conservation organization he continues to serve as coordinator. Kevin then went on to work five years as Curator of Amphibians at the Detroit Zoo. With Herp Curator Andy Snider, Kevin oversaw the construction and initial years of operation of the National Amphibian Conservation Center, which won the 2002 American Zoo & Aquarium Association's Exhibit of the Year Award. With course coordinator Andy Odum, Kevin helped develop AZA’s Amphibian Biology & Management course, which has run annually since 2004 with derivative courses now having run in Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia with plans for Venezuela and Tanzania.
During his years in Detroit, he developed adjunct associate professor status at Michigan State University and George Mason University. In 2005, Kevin joined CBSG as the Amphibian Program Officer, a joint position with WAZA, to help the ex situ community develop and implement plans to stem the amphibian extinction crisis. These efforts evolved into the Amphibian Ark. Kevin and wife Lynn live on “Huellita Farms,” their 45-acre homestead near Montezuma Wildlife Refuge in Central New York.
Edgardo Griffith- Director El Valle Conservation Center
Edgardo Griffith is the Director for the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center in El Valle de Anton, Panama. A Panamanian herpetologist who is currently employed by the Houston Zoo, Edgardo earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Jose Ramon College in 1996 and is currently associated with the Faculty of Science at the University of Panama.
For a good part of the last 10 years, Edgardo has spent most of his time in the field either participating in or coordinating expeditions for Project Golden Frog (PGF), the Smithsonian’s Tropical Research Institute (STRI), University of Michigan, the Amphibian Research and Conservation Coalition (ARCC), British Broadcasting Company (BBC), University of Georgia, and Southern Illinois University.
A passionate & enthusiastic conservationist, Edgardo is fighting on the front lines to save Amphibians in his native country.
