Endangered Baw Baw Frogs equipped with radio transmitters to monitor their movement

Fifty tiny frogs released into the wild in eastern Victoria not only carry radio transmitters on their backs, but also the hopes of their species.

The Baw Baw frog is Victoria’s only endemic frog, but its numbers have declined to the point where it is now in danger of extinction.

Less than 1,000 frogs live in the wild in a small area of ​​the Baw Baw Plateau.

Zoos Victoria scientists are willing to try anything to prevent the frog from disappearing, including mounting radio transmitters on them to track their movements.

The transmitters were mounted on 25 male and 25 female adult frogs bred at the Melbourne Zoo.

Endangered species biologist Deon Gilbert hopes the experimental move will pay off.

“They are being released at carefully chosen sites here on Mount Baw Baw,” he said.

“We know that amphibians can adapt well and I hope these frogs survive in the wild and, as they are already adults, it would be great if we could hear frogs calling at breeding sites next year.”

The alpine environment of the Baw Baw frog is highly susceptible to climate change, but that’s not the only reason the frog faces extinction.

Chytrid Fungus, which can be transferred by direct contact between frogs, or through infected water, has also devastated the frog’s only known population.

Zoos Victoria’s team has been breeding Baw Baw frogs since 2011, but this is the first time adult frogs have been released into the wild.

“If this adult release is successful, we may be able to establish wild populations faster than if we were releasing eggs on our own,” Gilbert said.

“This could give us two really strong strategies for establishing robust new populations of frogs in the wild.”