Last week, frog specialists from Taronga Zoo, NSW National

Parks, Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary gathered in the frosty alpine

region of Mount Kosciuszko to help ensure the survival of the Critically

Endangered Corroboree Frog. 

Only a few months ago staff were out in the same alpine

meadows collecting frog eggs from wild. These eggs were taken back to a

specially-designed refrigerated habitat at Taronga Zoo to ensure they have the

highest possible chance of survival. Now it was time to put these eggs back

along with eggs bred in zoo care so that they can hatch as tadpoles before the

snow season begins.The eggs, smaller than a pea, receive five star treatment

throughout their journey including helicopter flights into the release sites. A

total of 408 eggs was placed into special tubs designed to reduce the contamination

of Chytrid Fungus for the tadpoles and young frogs. It is this fungus which has

caused the rapid decline of the species in the wild so every step is taken to

reduce contact between the fungus and frog. 

The tadpoles are left in the tubs over the winter months and will

eventually evolve into frogs when the weather starts to warm up and the snow

melts. The tubs are designed so that at this stage they are free to climb out

and join the wild population of frogs in the damp moss bogs of the Snowy Mountains.

Corroboree Frog Egg Release

Click on the above photo to see the photo album.The release went incredibly well with all eggs being

distributed across the allocated sites. It was also a great day for Healesville Sanctuary whose staff for the first time released eggs they had bred from frogs

in their care.It is worrying to think that next season there may be no

eggs laid in the wild and the species will depend on conservation organisations

like Taronga and Zoos Victoria to breed and release this species back into the

wild until populations are again stable. This, unfortunately, could be a long

time away.

For more information or to donate to the conservation

efforts of this species click here.