An extraordinary result comes from Australia: the red and yellow frogs of the mountains, rare and threatened species, have been bred in captivity for the first time and released in nature. This milestone is the result of years of work carried out by researchers from Southern Cross University, in collaboration with national parks and local communities.
A unique species at risk
These small amphibians live in the rain forests of the mountain between Queensland Sudorientale and the new South Wales, fragile environments and subjects to strong external pressures. The Australian government has included them among the 110 priority species to be safeguarded in the next decades, aware that their survival also represents an indicator of the health of the entire ecosystem.
The difficulties of reproduction
Reproducing the natural conditions of these frogs in the laboratory has not been simple at all. Scholars had to recreate not only the temperature and the type of soil, but also the plants and even the sounds of the forest. As the researcher Liam Bolitho explained, to stimulate reproduction it was necessary to transmit recordings of wild frog choirs.
A further challenge is represented by the development of the larvae: unlike many other amphibians, the little ones do not swim like Girini but are formed directly inside the eggs, emerging tiny, just 3 millimeters at birth. Getting to reproductive maturity has requested over four years of constant work.
A symbolic release
After many efforts, seven specimens have been freed in a fenced and protected area. The ceremony was attended by the researchers, the national parks rangers and members of the Aboriginal community Githabul, traditional custodians of the territory. This moment marked the beginning of a new hope for the species.
The threats still present
The survival of the frogs is put at risk by various factors. Invasive animals, in particular wild wild boars, destroy the pools of water in which eggs are laid. Even drought periods aggravate the situation, drying up entire habitats. For this reason, the local authorities have launched wild boar capture programs and made fences to protect the most delicate areas.
Protecting an animal of just 3 centimeters may seem like a disproportionate company, but for scientists and local communities it is an act of pride and responsibility. Saving these frogs means protecting the entire ecosystem of the rain forests of the mountains, one of the richest and most precious in Australia.
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