Into the Jungle

Our Cheyenne Mountain Zoo team Zoo leaves for the jungles of Panama today, with the goal of rescuing tiny frogs from a colossal threat.

The deadly chytrid fungus has extinguished amphibian populations around the globe. The team of five will travel to a small section of Panamanian rainforest untouched by the quickly spreading fungus.

Bob Chastain, zoo president and CEO, will lead the group on the weeklong expedition, which will also include representatives from other organizations in the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a founding member of the project, formed in spring and made up of eight zoos and research institutions.

The expedition is the first “on-the-ground phase” for the rescue effort. Once in Panama, the group will hike into the jungle for nearly six hours, and then spend four days collecting a variety of frog species for a captive breeding program. The ultimate goal: Find a broad cure for the chytrid fungus and reintroduce the protected species back into the wild.

Together with our friends and supporters, we wish Bob and his team the best of luck in this global fight to save these endangered frogs!

Be sure to follow the journey here and on Facebook where you can read daily posts and see pictures of the team’s trek through the rainforest. Bob will update us all via tweets from the rainforest!