Corroboree Frog

Scientific nameSouthern: Pseudophryne corroboree, Northern: Pseudophryne pengilleyi

Conservation status (IUCN)

Critically Endangered

Corroboree Frogs are Australia’s most iconic amphibian species and amongst the most visually spectacular frogs in the world. They can be readily distinguished by the bold yellow and black longitudinal stripes on its top, sides and legs.

Taronga has both Southern and Northern Corroboree Frogs.

Sydney

Visitor tips for Sydney

You can see Corroboree Frogs in ARC, and in our Corroboree Frog Conservation Centre.
_{Hot tip: if you can't see the Corroborree Frogs in their tanks or exhibit, look closely between or underneath the moss where they like to hide.}

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Fun facts about Corroboree Frogs

9yrs

is the typical lifespan of a corroboree frog in the wild, though some have lived up to 20 years in Taronga’s breeding program.

Wet tussock grasslands

fens, heaths, pools and seepages in sphagnum bogs are where the Corroboree Frogs live.

3g

is all a corroboree frog weighs, making it one of Australia’s smallest frogs.

Kosciuszko National Park

in the Snowy Mountains of NSW is where they are only found, at heights of 1300 to 1760 metres above sea level.

Ants, beetles, insect larvae and mites

are what they eat with tadpoles feeding on algae and small bits of organic material.

2.5cm – 3cm

is the length of a corroboree frog—about the size of a paper clip.

4 years

is when mating occurs, in January-February.

The Northern Corroboree Frog

is only found within Brindabella and Fiery Ranges in NSW/ACT.

9yrs

is the typical lifespan of a corroboree frog in the wild, though some have lived up to 20 years in Taronga’s breeding program.

Wet tussock grasslands

fens, heaths, pools and seepages in sphagnum bogs are where the Corroboree Frogs live.

3g

is all a corroboree frog weighs, making it one of Australia’s smallest frogs.

Kosciuszko National Park

in the Snowy Mountains of NSW is where they are only found, at heights of 1300 to 1760 metres above sea level.

Ants, beetles, insect larvae and mites

are what they eat with tadpoles feeding on algae and small bits of organic material.

2.5cm – 3cm

is the length of a corroboree frog—about the size of a paper clip.

4 years

is when mating occurs, in January-February.

The Northern Corroboree Frog

is only found within Brindabella and Fiery Ranges in NSW/ACT.

Did you know?

We bet you didn't know these facts about Australia's most iconic amphibians.

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Scroll across to reveal Corroboree Frog facts.

Bright colours, big warning

The frogs yellow and black colouring works as a warning sign to predators, telling them to back off.

Pretty but poisonous

Corrobboree Frogs secrete toxins from their skin, making them poisonous to predators.

Love at first squelch

Male Corroboree frogs make a ‘squelch’ sound to call to females during mating.

The frog that doesn't hop

Corroboree frogs don’t jump or hop because they lack powerful back legs. Instead, they walk or crawl and shelter under logs or vegetation.

Teeny tiny

Corroboree Frogs are TINY! Even as adults, they can be only 3cm long and 3g in weight.

Pond-cleaning pros

Corroboree frog tadpoles remove algae from ponds, keeping it clean for other animals.

Terrestrial egg-laying

Corroboree Frogs lay their eggs in terrestrial nests – meaning they aren’t laid in the water like many other frog species.

Think outside the pond

The egg begins in a lighter coloured embryo, and eventually becomes darker as the tadpole grows within.

Advanced eggs

Corroboree Frog eggs are large compared to the small size of the frog. This is partly because the egg develops to an advanced stage until flooding of the nest stimulates them to hatch.

Conservation status (IUCN)

Critically Endangered

Corroboree Frog Conservation

Taronga is heavily involved in breeding and releasing Corroboree frogs into the wild in a National Recovery Program to help save the species. The Zoo’s breeding program has been so successful that we have released hundreds of frogs and thousands of eggs to increase wild population numbers in Kosciuszko National Park and Brindabella National Park. Saving the Corroboree Frogs will represent a major achievement for the conservation of amphibians globally.

Learn more

Herptofauna Keeper Del Leong during Corroboree Frog release in Brindabella National Park. Photo by Grace Black

Conservation stats

Taronga's Corroboree Frog conservation stats - and counting.

9,020+

So far, Taronga has bred and released over 9020 Southern Corroboree Frog eggs into the wild.
^{*Data updated 2025}

630

Taronga has bred and released 630 adult Southern Corroborree Frogs to the wild.
^{*Data updated 2025}

2,190+

Taronga has bred and released over 2190 eggs to the wild so far. That’s more than the adults estimated to be in the wild currently.
^{*Data updated 2025}

1,095+

To date, Taronga has bred and released over 1095 adult Northern Corroboree Frogs to the wild.
^{*Data updated 2025}

9,020+

So far, Taronga has bred and released over 9020 Southern Corroboree Frog eggs into the wild.
^{*Data updated 2025}

630

Taronga has bred and released 630 adult Southern Corroborree Frogs to the wild.
^{*Data updated 2025}

2,190+

Taronga has bred and released over 2190 eggs to the wild so far. That’s more than the adults estimated to be in the wild currently.
^{*Data updated 2025}

1,095+

To date, Taronga has bred and released over 1095 adult Northern Corroboree Frogs to the wild.
^{*Data updated 2025}

In Kosciuszko National Park, Corroboree Frogs are released into fenced-off areas to develop in their natural environment, while protecting them from environmental factors.

Hope discovered as critically endangered corroboree frogs survive fires

When a small group of biologists, including Taronga's very own Michael McFadden, formed an emergency team to fly into Kosciuszko National Park to assess the damage bushfires had caused to custom-built enclosures and release sites, they expected the worst.
But while three out of four disease-free release sites in Kosciuszko were found to have been burned - a significant set-back for the breeding program - remarkably, around one-third of the vital population were found to have survived.

Fantastic Corroboree Frogs

Fact sheets for kids

Discover educational resources from Kindergarten to year 6.

Visitor tips for Sydney

9yrs

Wet tussock grasslands

3g

Kosciuszko National Park

Ants, beetles, insect larvae and mites

2.5cm – 3cm

4 years

The Northern Corroboree Frog

9yrs

Wet tussock grasslands

3g

Kosciuszko National Park

Ants, beetles, insect larvae and mites

2.5cm – 3cm

4 years

The Northern Corroboree Frog

Tap the icons

Bright colours, big warning

The frogs yellow and black colouring works as a warning sign to predators, telling them to back off.

Pretty but poisonous

Corrobboree Frogs secrete toxins from their skin, making them poisonous to predators.

Love at first squelch

Male Corroboree frogs make a ‘squelch’ sound to call to females during mating.

The frog that doesn't hop

Corroboree frogs don’t jump or hop because they lack powerful back legs. Instead, they walk or crawl and shelter under logs or vegetation.

Teeny tiny

Corroboree Frogs are TINY! Even as adults, they can be only 3cm long and 3g in weight.

Pond-cleaning pros

Corroboree frog tadpoles remove algae from ponds, keeping it clean for other animals.

Terrestrial egg-laying

Corroboree Frogs lay their eggs in terrestrial nests – meaning they aren’t laid in the water like many other frog species.

Think outside the pond

The egg begins in a lighter coloured embryo, and eventually becomes darker as the tadpole grows within.

Advanced eggs

Corroboree Frog eggs are large compared to the small size of the frog. This is partly because the egg develops to an advanced stage until flooding of the nest stimulates them to hatch.

Corroboree Frog Conservation

9,020+

630

2,190+

1,095+

9,020+

630

2,190+

1,095+

Show your stripes

Calling card

Life cycles

Fighting fungus

Alpine heroes

Fact sheets for kids

Kindergarten - Year 2

Year 3-6

Taronga Institute of Science and Learning

Biodiversity conservation

Threatened Species Recovery

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