Welcome to Indigo Expeditions!

We are a UK based conservation organisation. Our conservation expeditions and nature tours are designed for nature lovers with a passion for wildlife and conservation. We believe that by giving people the opportunity to connect with nature, and contribute to our conservation projects, we can empower them to make positive changes in their own lives making the world a more positive place.

 

Research site of one of our partners in Guatamala: Community Cloud Forest Conservation (CCFC). CCFC believes that holistic human / community development through education and capacity building is the key to conservation and development in Guatemala’s central highlands.

Our Vision is of a world where the inter-connectedness of all life is honoured & appreciated, bringing humankind into harmonious relationship with nature, the earth and all creatures in the web of life. Indigo Expeditions is committed to the principles of deep ecology, world humanism, and unity in diversity. We encourage working with integrity and a respect for all life.

Currently Indigo Expeditions focusses its conservation efforts in Guatemala, Central America, where we work with sea turtles on the Pacific Coast, and endangered amphibians in the Central Highlands.

Citizen science contributes to conservation of Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog, Guatemala.

The mountainous regions of the tropics are famous for their high levels of biodiversity, with many species only being found in a highly restricted geographical region. These narrow ranges of endemic species can lead to big problems for populations from habitat loss. In some cases only a few hectares of forest clearance might be enough to cause dramatic declines or even extinctions of an entire species.

The Central Highlands of Guatemala are a hotspot for endemic amphibians, many of which are only found in a handful of mountain ranges. Of the 13 or so species endemic to the region, the Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog (Plectrohyla teuchestes) is one of the rarest in Guatemala.

The Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog is a very large tree frog that reaches over 70mm in length and can weigh around 45g. That may not sound like much, but for a tree frog that is massive! The name spikethumb frog comes from bony spikes that protrude from the thumb that is especially enlarged in males, and is thought to be used during combat with other males for the right to mate with females.

Until recently the Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog was only known from one locality, Finca Los Alpes – the location where it was first discovered in 1960. At that time it was considered to be another closely related species, the Guatemalan spikethumb frog (P. guatemalensis). It was not until 1992 when studies confirmed that the population of the Guatemalan spikethumb frog found at Finca Los Alpes was in fact a new species, and it was named the Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog.

The Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog (Plectrohyla teuchestes) is one of the most endangered frogs in Central America.

Despite extensive surveys, the Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog had not been found since 2004 at Finca Los Alpes. The site has suffered from dramatic deforestation, and it seems unlikely that the species is still present there.

So does that mean the Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog is extinct? Thankfully not. In 2015, Indigo Expeditions led a group of volunteers on an amphibian and reptile survey of a location on the same mountain range 40km away from Finca Los Alpes. That team was responsible for finding two large treefrogs that have been identified as Alta Verapaz spikethumb frogs, and we have since found five more individuals all of which have been in the same canyon.

The mountains of Alta Verapaz are remote and difficult to access and so there is great hope that other populations of the Alta Verapaz spikethumb frog may exist in yet undiscovered corners. This story is testament to the power of citizen science, and that anyone who goes exploring in remote corners of the world can contribute to wildlife conservation.

For more information visit our website: https://explorewithindigo.com/

Rowland Griffin
“advocate for the conservation of reptiles and amphibians”
Since childhood I have been fascinated by the world of reptiles and amphibians, and conservation is at the heart of everything we do.
My earliest inspiration came from a Burmese python that I had the pleasure of meeting at school when I was just 8. A few years later, having found out I was allergic to fur!!! I brought home my first pet… a garter snake.

My fascination deepened until a pivotal moment came in 2006 during a trip to Peru when I encountered my first wild pitviper – the “Loro machaco“.
From that moment on I have been adventuring, exploring wild places, and discovering new species!

A keen photographer, explore my wildlife photography on Instagram. explorewithindigo

The Indigo Mission is to be of Planetary Service, effecting Positive Change for humanity, by addressing wildlife conservation needs, and demonstrating an Appreciation for All Life.