Science for Saving Species Research findings factsheet Project 2.1 The Australian frogs most at risk of extinction and the actions needed to save them In brief This project has identified the We found that four of the 26 The amphibian fungal disease Australian frog species at greatest species may already be extinct. Four chytridiomycosis and climate risk of extinction, the likelihood more species are more likely than not change are the primary threats to of extinctions by 2040 with no (>50% probability) to become extinct Australian frogs. For some species, improvements to management, by 2040 unless there are substantial habitat loss, invasive fish and and the highest priority management improvements in resourcing, pigs are also major threats. actions needed to prevent monitoring and management. extinctions. An additional five species have Urgent management actions are a moderate to high (30–50%) required to prevent extinctions We examined 26 frog species probability of extinction before 2040. of Australian frogs. Key priorities previously identified as meeting include developing captive breeding Critically Endangered or Endangered We identified species at risk in every criteria on the IUCN Red List. state and territory except South and management programs and We used available data on ecology, Australia and Tasmania. Most of establishing wild population refuges, threats and trends, and then the imperilled species, including 10 of where the impacts of disease, 28 researchers with varying skills the top 15, are found in Queensland. climate change and pest species and backgrounds participated New South Wales has nine species. are reduced sufficiently to allow in an elicitation process. Many are found only in small areas. populations to survive. Background More than one-third of the world’s Climate change has also been Australian species due to predation amphibians are listed as threatened identified as an emerging major and habitat destruction. or extinct. This is a greater threat, especially for range-restricted The IUCN Red List is the most widely proportion than for mammals, montane frogs. Many frog species used tool for measuring extinction birds, reptiles and fish. Even in are restricted to the uplands of risk to biodiversity globally. The list areas with reasonably intact habitat mountains along the east coast of does, however, have limitations for there have been major declines. Australia, especially in the north- identifying and prioritising species at east. Cool, moist environments also In Australia, chytridiomycosis, immediate risk of extinction, such as provide the optimal conditions for the disease caused by chytrid determining relative risks between pathogen growth; subsequently, fungus (Batrachochytrium multiple Critically Endangered these montane, stream-dwelling dendrobatidis) has been implicated species. For this reason, there is frogs are at the greatest risk in the decline of 43 species, value in undertaking an additional from chytridiomycosis. representing nearly one-fifth process that more explicitly estimates of the country’s amphibian diversity. Habitat loss and invasive species extinction probability within the near It is also the primary cause of (particularly fish and feral pigs) future, as this will assist in allocating the known extinctions to date. are significant threats for some resources to prevent extinction. #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #15 #20 #21 #22 #25 #1 The most imperilled Australian frogs (from top, left to right): #1 The northern gastric-brooding frog # 8 The armoured mist frog (Litoria lorica) #15 The Kuranda tree frog (Litoria myola) is (Rheobatrachus vitellinus) is likely already is among the top 10 Australian frogs at risk found in a very small area near Cairns and is extinct, primarily due to chytrid fungus of extinction by 2040. Populations were unusual on the list in that the primary threat disease. Image: Hal Cogger decimated by chytrid fungus disease. Without is loss and degradation of habitat due to #2 The mountain mist frog (Litoria effective action it is likely to become extinct development. Image: Conrad Hoskin nyakalensis) is likely already extinct, within 20 years. Image: Conrad Hoskin #20 The white-bellied frog (Geocrinia alba) primarily due to chytrid fungus disease. #9 The mountain-top nursery frog is the Western Australian frog at greatest Image: Stephen Richards (Cophixalus monticola) is among the top 10 risk of extinction. The tadpoles of this tiny #3 The yellow-spotted tree frog (Litoria Australian frogs at risk of extinction by 2040. terrestrial breeding frog rely on wet soil to castanea) is likely already extinct. It is sensitive The species is found on a single mountain- develop. Reduced rainfall in south-west to chytrid fungus disease and also impacted top and is threatened by climate change. Western Australia is believed to be a major by climate change, habitat loss and invasive Image: Conrad Hoskin contributor to the decline of this species fish. Image: David Hunter / DPIE NSW #10 The beautiful nursery frog (Cophixalus over recent decades. Image: Emily Hoffmann #4 Northern tinker frog (Taudactylus concinnus) is restricted to the top of #21 Littlejohn’s tree frog (Litoria littlejohni) rheophilus) is likely already extinct. Thornton Peak, in the Daintree rainforest only occurs in in relatively undisturbed Chytrid fungus disease has been the of north Queensland. It is threatened by forested areas with infrequent natural fires. main cause of declines but climate climate change. Image: Conrad Hoskin Increased bushfire frequency may be the cause of its disappearance from national change has also played a role. #11 The northern corroboree frog parks around Sydney. Chytrid fungus disease #5 The Kroombit tinker frog (Taudactylus (Pseudophryne pengilleyi) is badly impacted is also strongly implicated in the decline of Pleione) is close to extinction. Without new by chytrid fungus disease and its alpine this species. Image: David Hunter / DPIE NSW action it is deemed far more likely than not habitat was burned in the 2019-20 bushfires. (70% chance) to become extinct by 2040. It The ACT Government has a captive breeding Watson’s tree frog (Litoria watsoni) was is threatened by chytrid fungus disease, feral program underway and is working with recently separated from Littlejohn’s tree frog pigs and climate change. Image: HB Hines / The Australian National University to identify (Litoria littlejohni) as a distinct species. It is Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. of wild refuge sites. Image: David Hunter / threatened by logging, hot fires and probably also chytrid fungus disease. It is at high risk of #6 The southern corroboree frog DPIE NSW extinction. Image: Matthew West (Pseudophryne corroboree) is close to #12 The spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri) extinction. Without new action it is deemed is found in Victoria and New South Wales. #22 Sloane’s froglet (Crinia sloanei) was more likely than not (66% chance) to It is badly impacted by chytrid fungus disease once found over a wide area within the become extinct by 2040. It is very and predation of tadpoles by introduced Murray-Darling Basin. It has suffered extensive vulnerable to chytrid fungus disease. trout species. Image: Michael Williams/Its declines due to habitat loss and degradation. Image: David Hunter / DPIE NSW a Wildlife Image: David Hunter / DPIE NSW #7 The Baw Baw frog (Philoria frosti) is #13 The Kroombit tree frog (Litoria #25 The giant burrowing frog (Heleioporus close to extinction. Without new action it is kroombitensis) is restricted to Kroombit australiacus) is threatened primarily by deemed more likely than not (65% chance) Tops in south-eastern Queensland and habitat loss and altered fire regimes. to become extinct by 2040. The main threat is threatened by chytrid fungus disease Image: David Hunter / DPIE NSW to this species is chytrid fungus disease and climate change. Image: HB Hines / followed by changed climate and fire. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Image: Damian Goodall Beautiful nursery frog Armoured mist frog* Northern tinker frog** Howard River toadlet Tapping nursery frog Kuranda tree frog Rattling nursery frog Bellenden Ker nursery frog Mountain top nursery frog MAP: The locations of the top 26 Australian Mountain mist frog** frogs at risk of extinction. ** Species likely Mt Elliot nursery frog to be recently extinct. * Species more likely Northern gastric-brooding frog** than not to become extinct by 2040 unless Eungella day frog there is action. Image: Threatened Species Recovery Hub Kroombit tinker frog* Kroombit tree frog Richmond Range Yellow-spotted mountain frog tree frog** Northern corroboree Mahony’s toadlet frog Littlejohn’s tree frog Sloane’s White-bellied frog froglet Southern corroboree frog* Giant burrowing frog Spotted tree frog The 26 Australian frogs Baw Baw frog* at greatest risk of extinciton Research aims We aimed to identify the Australian frog species at greatest risk of extinction, and to estimate their probabilities of extinction in the wild by 2040. We also aimed to identify the highest priority regions, research areas and management actions to prevent any future extinctions of Australian frogs. Climate change is a major threat to three-quarters (19) of the imperilled frogs. Species that depend on damp mountain-top habitat, such as this nursery frog habitat, are particularly impacted. Image: Conrad Hoskin What we did Our study focused on 26 highly We gathered all available We also asked participants to provide imperilled frog species. This information on the frogs’ ecology, a level of confidence associated with included 22 species identified as threats, and trends. We provided this estimate based on the available meeting IUCN (International Union this information to a panel of 28 information. Assessments were for the Conservation of Nature) experts, which included researchers based on the assumption that there Red List criteria as Endangered or and frog biologists from academic would be a continuation of current Critically Endangered in a recent institutions, state or federal management with no new actions review of the conservation status of government agencies and implemented beyond what all 243 Australian frog species.