About Us

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Canada (ARCC) strives to bolster the conservation of herpetofauna across this great country. We support conservation efforts in many fields including research, education, conservation action, field surveys, volunteer work, and so much more. ARCC is dedicated to funding and supporting projects in Canada and by Canadians, by connecting projects and organizations with funding for staff. Whether you're a seasoned herpetologist or just starting out, read below to find out how we can help assist your work in herpetofauna conservation.

Our services

Funding

Our team specializes in finding sources of funding for a variety of different projects. We often derive funding from federal and provincial programs, assisting partners with proposals and submissions.

Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can help support your financial goals.

Research

Many of ARCC's efforts bolster amphibian and reptile research in a number provinces. If you have a project in mind or require boots on the ground, get in touch and we'll see how we can support your objectives.

Consulting

Our team has a diverse set of skills including research, field work, conservation action, animal caretaking, and education. We're happy to collaborate on projects and use our expertise to reach your goals.

Networking

With a growing number of partners and projects across the country, ARCC has a wide network professionals, interns, and volunteers. Want to get involved with a project near you? Let us know and we can connect you with the right people.

Our Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is composed of experts, researchers, and educators who share a deep commitment to conserving amphibians and reptiles. At ARCC, we operate with a roundtable approach—each director has an equal voice in decision-making. Rather than relying on a traditional majority vote, we build consensus to ensure that every decision is thoughtfully considered, informed by diverse perspectives, and reflects the collective experience and wisdom of the Board.

Kelsey Moxley

Kelsey is the Field Projects Manager for Scales Nature Park and the Georgian Bay Turtle Hospital, overseeing all aspects of field work for their projects across Ontario. After graduating, she went to work for their Saving Turtles at Risk Today (START) Project in central Ontario. Under her guidance, START has grown into the largest project of its kind in Canada. She also works with turtles, snakes, frogs and salamanders to reduce or mitigate threats, monitor populations and trends, protect habitat, and engage the community in species at risk conservation through boots-on-the-ground field work and journal article publications.

Brittany Weatherall

Brittany is an Animal Care Professional at Assiniboine Park Zoo, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Though she cares for a wide variety of animals, she has always maintained both a professional and personal passion for herpetofauna. Educational outreach is also of great importance to Brittany - She never misses an opportunity to instil in others an appreciation for reptiles and amphibians! Brittany has attempted to learn how to knit on four occasions and enjoys hiking and making wine in her spare time.

Anthony Amsel

Anthony is a Wildlife Biologist with a keen focus on species at risk conservation. He has had the pleasure of closely working with marine mammals, bears, and canids, while his passion remains Canada's amphibians and reptiles. As an Expedition Leader, Anthony facilitates wildlife connection through exploration and discovery. An avid outdoorsman, he also relishes any opportunity to spend time outside where he can dive into nature; you can probably find him paddling, climbing, or hiking in the bush.

James Baxter-Gilbert

James Baxter-Gilbert is an evolutionary ecologist and conservation biologist, currently working for Mount Allison University. Across his career his research has focused on understanding the impacts and biological ramification of anthropogenic landscapes on reptiles and amphibians. Particularly, this has included work testing the effectiveness of road mortality mitigation, understanding physiological metrics for gauging anthropogenic impacts, and examining adaptive changes in behaviour, morphology, and performance capacity resulting from urbanisation.

Jenny Pearce

Jenny began Sciensational Sssnakes!! as a business in 1994. Working with reptiles has been her life long dream and she is very privileged to work with such a fantastic team of people and animals everyday.

Ryan Wolf

Ryan holds an M.Sc. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Toronto and specializes in herpetofauna. He has worked with reptiles and amphibians in Ontario for over five years with organizations such as Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Ontario Nature, and Wildlife Preservation Canada. Ryan is currently leading an ongoing conservation research project on the only remaining population of Blue Racer in Canada, alongside multiple partner organizations. In his free time, Ryan enjoys hiking, skiing, photography, and art.