Passion for frogs and conservation remembered
University professor
PROFESSOR PHIL BISHOP was “quite protective” of his frogs during the shoot, recalls photographer Graham Warman, of the portrait taken for his 2014 Inaugural Professorial Lecture.
His wife, Debbie, does not appear in the photo, but she was right there helping to place the frogs and ready to catch any that decided to leap off. Bouts of laughter echoed through the studio that day.
Prof Bishop was not just protective of his frogs — he was passionate about them; his life was intricately connected to amphibian research and conservation efforts to support their wellbeing and survival.
That passion had burned brightly since keeping frogs and toads as pets as a young boy growing up in England, the number increasing to an impressive 32 species when studying for his masters at Cardiff University.
The amphibian and wider science community remain at a loss to absorb the enormity of Prof Bishop’s death on January 23 aged 63, following a short illness, at a time when he was preparing to take on his new role as head of the zoology department at the University of Otago.
Prof Bishop had been at the forefront of amphibian conservation biology, both in New Zealand and internationally, since arriving at Otago in 1997 as a senior teaching fellow in zoology.
With over 100 publications in conservation biology and applied ecology to his name, his research made a broad contribution, from Aotearoa’s littleknown native frog species to the development of conservation techniques and approaches globally.
During his time at Otago,
Prof Bishop supervised 46 research students, was a tireless advocate for frog conservation in the public media, gave countless public lectures and school presentations, and organised multiple public events to promote conservation.
He was both a great scientist and a great communicator, who was firmly grounded in the importance and essence of community.
In 2018, Prof Bishop took pride in organising the first frog conservation hui in Te Kuiti involving two local iwi, the Auckland Zoo, and the Department of Conservation to discuss common conservation goals. He also coordinated two visits to Otago by Dame Dr Jane Goodall, the worldfamous environmentalist and primatologist.
In recognition of his sustained commitment to wildlife conservation, Prof Bishop received numerous accolades including a lifetime achievement award from the New Zealand International Science Festival.
THIS holistic outlook encapsulated the approach he applied to his work, and was evident in his varied roles, including acting director of the Centre for Science Communication, as well as director of the ecology programme from 201519.
During this period, he designed and ran the highly successful tropical field ecology paper that included an annual threeweek field trip to the ancient and pristine Ulu Temburong rainforest in Borneo, held in conjunction with the University Brunei Darussalam.
Joining the inaugural field trip in 2018, present director of ecology Prof Christoph Matthaei said it took three years of Prof Bishop’s extraordinary enthusiasm, drive and commitment to plan and run the trip.
“Phil was a passionate field biologist who loved not just frogs, but all sorts of weird and wonderful wild creatures,” Prof Matthaei said.
“I’ll never forget the sight of him holding a highly venomous pit viper looking extremely happy and with a big smile, and the students looking on in awe. This is the way I will always remember him.’’
Prof Bishop was a strong advocate of giving undergraduate students research experience from an early stage. One of the students on the first field trip, Tegan Murrell, remarked on the benefits she acquired from this learningbydoing approach.
“One of the most valuable things this researchled approach has taught me is flexibility, as field work rarely proceeds in the way that textbooks would suggest,” she said.
Doctoral candidate and international student Joseph Altobelli said he came to Otago to be guided by Prof Bishop as a global figure in amphibian conservation and passionate protector of New Zealand’s precious native frogs.
“I will never forget the academic lessons I learned, but also that Phil and his wonderful wife Debbie made us feel part of their family,” Mr
Altobelli said.
“I will never forget the potluck dinners, the chats about native birds over coffees, and the incredible wit he brought to every conversation.”
Zoology department head Prof Gerry Closs said Prof Bishop’s abilities as a teacher were exceptional, and the University of Otago Teaching Excellence Award and prestigious National Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award he received in 2010 reflected that.
“Prof Phil Bishop was simply the best friend and colleague that any of us could hope to work alongside, and he gave so much to the university community.
‘‘We all miss him terribly, but our lives are so much richer for having known him.”
WHILE Prof Bishop still clearly had so much more to give, including in his recent appointment as secretarygeneralelect for the World Congress of
Herpetology, the community can be fuelled by what he achieved, the collaborations he made, and global movements he facilitated.
In early 2020, in his role as director, Prof Bishop led a successful ninth congress that brought 870 delegates to Otago from 57 countries worldwide.
There, the Aotearoa Climate Change Declaration was announced, highlighting the necessity of scientists and society to become more harmonious with the ecological workings of the planet, including climate stability and conservation of biodiversity.
“We know that at least 40% of amphibians are threatened by extinction, and reptiles are not far behind, making them the most threatened groups of vertebrates on the planet,”
Prof Bishop said at the time.
“Our declaration following this conference reflects that urgency and we implore national governments to take immediate action to prevent further losses of important species due to the impacts of climate change.
“There is an absolutely critical need for more awareness and action for global conservation efforts, and as a congress we have decided to take an important lead role in working towards that goal.”
At a talk given by Prof Bishop at the conference, he noted that while the future for amphibians was still precarious, global amphibian conservation was finally moving ahead in a coordinated and collaborative way.
During lockdown, Prof Bishop continued to connect with the wider community from home, presenting regular ZoomaZoologist sessions for a local primary school in Andersons Bay, and tweeting a frog fact of the day, something he had done every day since 2012.
During that time, he also wrote a blog for Wild Dunedin on how crucial it was to maintain a close connection with nature for benefits of both personal physical and mental wellbeing during lockdown.
“So, is getting outside and being exposed to the real nature better for you? The simple answer is ‘Yes’ and scientific research backs up my insight,” Prof Bishop wrote.
His words describe walking with Debbie and their dog on the deserted Chisholm Links and watching an Australasian harrier being mobbed by two magpies and a pair of spurwinged plovers.
Towards the end of the blog, a paragraph spoke of reverence for his beloved frogs.
‘‘Being a frog fanatic, I know instinctively that while I get great pleasure from watching films or looking at photos of really cool frogs, nothing will beat the enjoyment of capturing one in the hand and looking into its eyes, a truly intimate and amazing experience.”
— Guy Frederick/ University of Otago