Harlequin Mantella

Integrating in situ and ex situ research to conserve the Harlequin mantella in Madagascar

The Harlequin mantella (Mantella cowanii) is endemic to Madagascar. It was assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2014 based on its very small area of occupancy, its ongoing decline, and the extent and quality of habitat. This project is based on a species conservation action plan from December 2018. The project goal is to collect new information on ecological needs to help mitigate the multi-faceted and synergistic threats to Mantella cowanii populations and provide strong conservation recommendations. The project is conducted around Antoetra situated in the southeastern range of the species’ distribution where its presence was confirmed in 2020. In situ and ex situ research can and should be carried out in a complementary way, i.e. there are aspects of behaviour (e.g. microhabitat selection) that are extremely difficult to rigorously assess in situ. This is where ex situ research can play a significant role. In turn, knowledge regarding environmental and habitat variables, ecology and biology in situ can be used to greatly improve the design, methods and execution of ex situ conservation breeding. The underlying principle of collaborative and complementary research was fundamental to the approach of the Mantella cowanii project. This research will fill gaps in the knowledge on Mantella cowanii, behaviour, micro-habitat use and potential distribution under different temperature regimes, something we know little about. The project is led by a Malagasy PhD student.