Disease can pose a severe threat to the persistence of threatened and declining wildlife. In recent decades, the pathogenic amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has contributed to global amphibian declines and extinctions, and innovative mitigation strategies have been required to combat this pathogen. Here, I will discuss efforts to mitigate the impacts of Bd on the federally and state-listed endangered mountain yellow-legged frog, Rana muscosa, in southern California. We have tested both in situ anti-fungal treatments and ex situ immune priming as management strategies for this species. Our approach is ecologically and evolutionarily informed: by using Bd isolated from the release site and treating frogs with site-specific probiotics after clearing their Bd infections, we aim to test whether carefully tailored pre-release treatments can enhance post-release outcomes. Although these Bd mitigation methods are at their infancy, our investigations shed light on Bd dynamics and mitigation strategies in this region and may provide solutions to other threatened amphibian species battling Bd.

Spencer is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance working on the recovery and conservation of the Mountain Yellow-legged Frog. He received his PhD from Purdue University studying seasonal impacts on host-pathogen interactions of the chytrid fungus system, his M.S. from the University of South Dakota, and his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Spencer's work and interests broadly focus on disease ecology, herpetology, natural history, and conservation management.