Critically endangered burrowing frogs return to Australian forests

Zoos Victoria and Snowline Ecology released 53 southern giant burrowing frogs into East Gippsland, a region of Victoria, Australia.

These frogs are a critically endangered species that live primarily underground in south-eastern Australia. The release follows a conservation breeding program that began after the 2019/2020 Black Summer fires destroyed large areas of forest habitat. Scientists first discovered a colony of survivors as tadpoles in small puddles amidst the burnt landscape.

Herpetologist Matt Clancy described the find as a miracle given the severity of the fire damage to the local population. Specialist keepers at Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary raised the tadpoles and successfully bred the species in captivity for the first time. This effort allowed experts to secure the genetics of the frogs and gain insights into their behavior.

The frogs are roughly the size of a cricket ball and remain elusive because they only surface to breed after heavy rainfall. Scientists will now monitor the frogs as they re-establish themselves in the wild. They have installed song meters throughout the forest to detect the distinct calls of the frogs, which will help field teams identify potential breeding sites. There are currently fewer than five known breeding sites for the species in Victoria.