Reptiles and amphibians
Giant burrowing frogs return to wild in Victoria
Raised from tadpoles saved after the black summer bushfires, over fifty frogs have been released back into their native Australian habitat.
Reported by The Guardian · · 1 min read
More than fifty endangered southern giant burrowing frogs have returned to their native home in eastern Victoria, marking a major conservation milestone over five years after catastrophic bushfires threatened the species with extinction. The male frogs, currently around five years old, were set free in a remote wilderness area after significant regional thunderstorms.
Following the severe 2019-20 bushfires across East Gippsland, researchers discovered roughly 160 tadpoles trapped in remaining puddles. Seeking to safeguard the imperiled amphibians, wildlife authorities transported the cohort to Melbourne Zoo. Keepers carefully nurtured the young through their development and achieved the first captive breeding success for the species last year.
Amphibian specialist Ryan Moes from Zoos Victoria explained that genetic testing was performed on every collected individual. Because maintaining genetic variety is vital to prevent sibling pairings in captivity, caretakers decided that healthy adults not needed for the breeding colony should return to nature. Prior to release, each frog received an identifying tag, while conservationists positioned acoustic recording devices to monitor their calls in the wild.
The return coincided with substantial storm activity that dropped between 80 and 100 millimeters of rainfall over the release locations. Herpetologist Matt Clancy of Snowline Ecology noted that giant burrowing frogs, which can reach the dimensions of a cricket ball and may live longer than two decades, spend much of their existence hidden deep within subterranean soil, emerging to breed only when seasonal rains fill temporary waterways.
The southern giant burrowing frog was officially classified as a separate subspecies in 2021, and its wild numbers remain under heavy pressure from recurring droughts, wildfires, and reduced precipitation. With merely five documented breeding locations remaining across Victoria, scientists plan to continue monitoring the freed males and may collect further tadpoles in the future to keep wild stocks viable.
