Nearly one-third of the 5,743 known species of frogs in the world today are facing extinction—that’s about 2,000 species!

Researchers around the world are working toward a solution to this global problem. In Western Australia, the State Government is providing $450,000 over four years to Perth Zoo to set up an amphibian research and breeding program.

The program will address two significant environmental threats to the 78 species of Western Australian amphibians: Chytrid fungus and the Cane Toad invasion. To achieve this, Perth Zoo is developing captive breeding and cryopreservation methods for amphibian species under threat with a focus on south-west Western Australian species. This program is being developed in conjunction with the Department of Environment and Conservation, the Western Australian Museum, the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University.

The primary focus will be on the three species of frogs (Geocrinia vitellina, Geocrinia alba, Spicospina flammocaerulea) from the south-west of the State that are at risk from degradation or fragmentation of habitat and the Chytrid fungus as well as frogs of the Kimberley region that may be adversely affected by the imminent invasion of the Cane Toad.

The research will include the following research projects:

• Husbandry of analogue species to WA threatened frog species (leading to the study of the threatened species),
• Captive breeding and growth and development studies of analogue species of WA threatened frog species (leading to the study of the threatened species).
• The induction of ovulation in frogs;
• Investigation of the reproductive tracts of Frogs, including the presence of a sperm storage organ;
• The non-invasive collection of frog sperm and its cryopreservation;
• Freezing and vitrification of frog embryos.

Other projects are expected to flow on from this initial research.

Read about Perth Zoo's latest frog breeding success (pdf).