The fight is not over for the spotted tree frog, a species trying to bounce back from the brink of extinction within the NSW Snowy Mountains.
Eighty frogs have been released into Kosciuszko National Park, marking the first release of the species since they were severely impacted by the Black Summer bushfires.
NSW Environment Department senior threatened species officer David Hunter has been leading a program to save the spotted tree frog from extinction since the early 2000s.
“When the spotted tree frog looked like it was going to disappear from NSW, we established a captive breeding program at the Amphibian Research Centre in Victoria, The spotted tree frog is one of the most threatened frog species in Australia
It’s the first release of the critically endangered species since they were affected by the Black Summer bushfire It comes after 100 critically endangered southern corroboree frogs were released into Kosciuszko last month
“In a tank captive environment, they recreated the high-altitude, fast-flowing stream that the spotted tree frog lived in and bred.” The species population has been significantly reduced by the amphibian chytrid fungus. Mr. Hunter said the frogs had been released from captivity into the wild since 2005, but they continued to die from the fungus.
A small population of the species was thriving in Kosciuszko National Park in the lead-up to the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, before being decimated by the blaze. Despite the setbacks, reintroducing the conservation program has given Mr. Hunter hope for the species’ future.
The spotted tree frog is not the only amphibian conservationists are trying to save. One hundred critically endangered southern corroboree frogs were released into the national park in March.
a man with gloves reaches to pick up a tiny frog from a case Spotted tree frogs only grow up to 6 centimeters in length.(Supplied: Alex Pike/Department of Planning and Environment)
Jodi Rowley, an amphibian biologist at the Australian Museum and University of New South Wales, said it was a credit to conservationists for seeing the work through.
“To have these 80 frogs back in the wild, and hopefully thriving and helping boost their population numbers, is fantastic, “It’s one of the most threatened frog species in Australia and it’s holding on, just clinging on, thanks to these amazing conservation works.”
Time will tell if the spotted tree and corroboree frog species thrive in the wild, with winter just a few weeks away. A frog on a rock next to a river.
The spotted tree frog is considered fundamental to the ecosystem in NSW upland rivers.(Supplied: Alex Pike/Department of Planning and Environment “This is a good time to do it before it gets too cold,” Dr Rowley said. “These are a couple of frog species that need our help the most.
Source: This news is originally published by abc.net.au