The IUCN has highlighted the need for conservation measures, in cooperation with local communities, to make sure the hunting is at sustainable levels. To a lesser extent they are also threatened by habitat loss and degradation. They were extensively exported to zoos and the pet trade, but have proven shy and nervous in captivity. Although captives may live longer than their wild counterparts, the species has not been bred in captivity. Due to their classification as an endangered species, the Equatorial Guinean government has declared that no more than 300 goliaths may be exported per year for the pet trade, but few now seem to be exported from this country. Diet It was determined in a study that the Goliath frog consumes a wide variety of food which suggests that the frog is omnivorous with a carnivorous preference. Their prey are terrestrial, aquatic, and semi-aquatic indicating that they hunt both on land and in water. Food preferences were different among the different weight groups of each frog which could be correlated to different stages of development. For frogs who weigh less than (could be equivalent to the young), they consumed Annelids, Arachnids, Myriapods, Insects, Crustaceans, Gastropods, and Reptiles. For frogs who weigh more than (could be equivalent to a fully developed frog), they consumed Arachnids, Myriapods, Insects, Crustaceans, and Gastropods with a significantly higher occurrence of Myriapods. This shows that Annelids and Reptiles are present only in the diet of low weight frogs which emphasizes the more diversified diet for younger goliath frogs. Reproduction Like most amphibians, water is vital for their reproduction. Because the goliath frog lacks a vocal sac, it does not produce mating calls, a behavior generally present in frogs and toads. The egg masses consist of several hundred to a few thousand eggs, approximately each, and often attached to aquatic vegetation. There are three main nest types, all semi-circular in shape and located in or near a river: In the first they clear a section in a river pool. In the second they expand an already existing pool, daming it off from the river. In the final they dig a pool, roughly wide and deep, sometimes moving quite large stones in the process. This may partially explain the goliath frog's large size, as larger frogs may be more successful at moving heavy objects when constructing their nests. Adults have also been shown to guard the nests