Grantee Spotlight: Dr Luis Marin da Fonte
On the Edge Fund, Conservation grantee spotlight
05/05/2025
Name someone who goes wild for amphibians like Dr Luis Marin da Fonte... we'll wait.
Having dedicated his entire career to conservation, Luis has helped protect the Admirable Red-belly Toad and the Giant of the Pampas in Brazil, the Argentine horned frog, and now focuses on protecting harlequin toads across South America.
He's not only a respected scientist but a passionate storyteller. His unique approach to blending art, science, and communication has helped him author and illustrate several amphibian books, and he's now working as a coordinator at The Atelopus Survival Initiative (ASI) – a network dedicated to conserving critically threatened harlequin toads.
Luis’ work
Just like humans stick to the neighbourhoods we love, so do some amphibians. Their hotspot is the Neotropics – Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Nearly half of the world's amphibious species live there, and almost half of those are on the brink of extinction.
Harlequin toads, or Atelopus, top the list of the world's most threatened amphibians, with 84% of all Atelopus species globally threatened and 40% deemed as Possibly Extinct. All is not lost, though, especially with legends like Luis around. Previously lost populations of specific harlequin toad species (Atelopus coynei and Atelpus ignescens), have been recently rediscovered in Ecuador, like a forgotten celebrity making a comeback, sparking the urgent need to conserve the remaining populations.
On the Edge will support Luis and his team over the next couple of years to demonstrate that targeted conservation efforts can positively impact their survival.
Name:
Dr Luis Marin da Fonte
Country of origin:
Brazil
Species of choice:
Harlequin Toads
