For the first time in five years, Northern Corroboree Frogs have been detected in Ginini Flats at the Namadgi National Park, lifting hopes that we may be able to hold off extinction and demonstrating the success of the ACT Government’s breeding program for the endangered species.
Minister for the Environment, Parks and Land Management said this new rediscovery of Northern Corroboree Frogs demonstrates that we can take action to save the unique and charismatic species.
“Since 1986 the ACT Government has been keeping a close eye on our tiny, stripey friends, the Northern Corroboree Frogs,” said Minister Vassarotti.
“For a while now, these frogs have been listed as critically endangered, having experienced rapid decline because of fungal outbreaks and the devastating impact of climate change on their habitat.
“Every year for over a decade, the ACT Government been attempting to restore the Northern Corroboree Frog population, releasing frogs and eggs into the wild as part of our breeding program.
“Having not seen these frogs in the wild since 2019, we were beginning to think all hope was lost, and that the species was close to extinction.
“Australia is the extinction capital of the world. Way too often, climate change and human impact on the environment has resulted in us losing unique species permanently as they become extinct.
“I’ve been heartbroken to have to continue to list species as close to extinction, so I’m really pleased to announce today that the ACT Government’s program to reintroduce Northern Corroboree Frogs has been a massive success.
“The identification of new Northern Corroboree Frogs across a range of sites restores my confidence that we can save this incredible frog that is so unique to our region.
“Earlier this year, our dedicated ecologists discovered 16 male Northern Corrobboree Frogs calling at the Ginini Flats Wetland Complex Ramsar Site and 21 frogs in a lower elevation site in Namadgi, where frogs and eggs had been released.
“The success of our breeding program really emphasises to me the importance of protecting endangered wetlands, particularly those which our Northern Corrobboree Frogs like to call home.
“Every species large and small deserves our respect and protection and I’m thrilled that we are one step closer to saving this beautiful frog.”
