Endangered Frogs Return to the Wild After a Four-Decade Absence

Australia reintroduced endangered green and golden bell frogs to the wild, restoring the species to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) nearly 50 years after local extinction.

“It feels quite incredible and really significant to return the species to this region for the first time in almost 50 years,” said Associate Professor Simon Clulow, conservation researcher at the University of Canberra.

The first group of 25 immunised frogs was released at Mawson Ponds as part of a programme that will reintroduce about 375 frogs across 15 wetland sites. Scientists created 60 saline “frog spas” and 180 heated “frog saunas” to protect the amphibians from chytrid fungal disease, which has driven global amphibian declines and contributed to the loss of 90 species over five decades. Each female frog can lay up to 8,000 eggs, offering strong potential for rapid population recovery and long-term ecosystem restoration.