Impact of Ranavirus on garden amphibian populations

Many species of amphibians have bred in a Woodingdean garden pond for more than 30 years. In summer 2007 an outbreak of Ranavirus occurred and this paper describes its impact on three species of anurans living wild in the garden and two species kept in an outdoor vivarium. Common frog Rana temporaria numbers were reduced by >80%. Common toads Bufo bufo decreased by perhaps 20% whereas pool frogs Pelophylax lessonae were scarcely affected. A single natterjack B. calamita died in the vivarium where at least five survived, but all midwife toads Alytes obstetricans (adults and larvae) in the same enclosure perished. There was no sign of recovery of the common frog population over the ensuing five years.