Endangered Kroombit Tinker Frog Bred in Captivity for First Time

Official Newsletter of the Queensland Frog Society Inc. Summer 2020-21

www.qldfrogs.asn.au | questions [at] qldfrogs.asn.au | /qldfrogsociety | @qldfrogs Endangered Kroombit tinker frog bred in captivity for first time after 20 years Inga Stünzner and Paul Culliver | ABC News Culliver Stünzner and Paul Inga The first metamorphosed Kroombit tinker frog in captivity after almost two decades of trying.Credit: M. Vella

fter two decades of trial and error, a team of sci- hatchling. entists has finally bred the Kroombit tinker frog in “We’ve had our first tiny metamorph – a recently trans- captivity in the hopes of preventing its extinction. A formed tadpole – emerge from the tank,” Dr Meyer said. The frog is thought to number 200 at best and is found The largely nocturnal Kroombit tinker frog is difficult to only in small patches of rainforest at Kroombit Tops Na- tional Park, a plateau about 70 kilometres south-west of Gladstone in central Queensland.

Dr. Ed Meyer, from the Queensland Frog Society, says the breeding plan was first hatched in the early 2000s when he and others became aware of the frog’s decline.

There was little the team could do until they had the support of a zoo, and in 2008 the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctu- ary on the Gold Coast came on board with a dedicated frog-breeding facility. A captive Kroombit Tinker frog with eggs (red circle). It was then another 12 years of trial and error before this Credit: M.Vella

1 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AREA COORDINATORS breed because it is secretive and can be located only by cies, including the Eungella tinker frog. its distinctive call that sounds like someone tapping a PATRON - Dr Glen Ingram ASHGROVE “We’re planning on raising our metamorph Kroom- glass bottle. Jenny Holdway – Ph: 3366 1868 bit tinker frogs through to adulthood and eventually PRESIDENT - Ashley Keune Email: qldfrogs [at] bigpond.net.au “We’ve been looking for spawn and tadpoles since the release the captive-bred adults into the wild,” Dr Meyer Email: president [at] qldfrogs.asn.au BRIBIE ISLAND/CABOOLTURE mid-1990s, and despite intensive searches through the said. VICE PRESIDENT - Ray Benfer Pauline Fitzgibbon 2000s, we failed to find Email: fitztho01 [at] tpg.com.au It could take up to two Email: vicepresidents [at] qldfrogs.asn.au any,” Dr Meyer said. BRISBANE CENTRAL years before the re- SECRETARY - Jenny Holdway Stefan Durtschi – Ph: 3891 6853 The team finally had cently emerged froglet is Ph: 07 3366 1868 Email: comlab [at] optusnet.com.au a successful spawning ready to breed, and the Email: secretary [at] qldfrogs.asn.au BROOKFIELD with the small number team will hang on to a TREASURER - Jennifer Singfield Phil Bird - Email: frogphil [at] gmail.com of frogs they had in small number. Email: treasurer [at] qldfrogs.asn.au BUNDABERG captivity, which allowed “Female tinker frogs are David Flack - Email: litoria.chloris82 [at] gmail.com them to observe the EVENTS & INITIATIVES COORDINATOR very difficult to locate eggs and tadpoles of this Jono Hooper CHERMSIDE in the wild because James Hansen – Mob: 0427 827 443 species for the first time. Email: events_initiatives [at] qldfrogs.asn.au they don’t call loudly, Email: jamna [at] powerup.com.au KROOMBIT FROGSEARCH COOD. - Dr Ed Meyer “This was a real thrill,” The frogs are secretive and hard to find, which has made it very so we’re likely to hang GOLD COAST Dr Meyer said. difficult to discover their breeding habits.Credit: M. Vella on to captive-reared COMMITTEE MEMBER - Hunter McCall Shane Ho – Ph: 5533 8125 female frogs especially,” IPSWICH “We’ve got a fresh clutch that was laid a few days ago, Dr Meyer said. Brett Malcolm - Mob: 0407 673 458 so hopefully we’ll have a few more tadpoles and meta- MARY RIVER CATCHMENT morphs that come through in the next few months.” “It would be great to get numbers up into the hundreds, NEWSLETTER EDITOR & WEB ADMIN Eva Ford - Mob: 0408 749 162 high hundreds and, at some point into the thousands, Leading up to this moment, the team had been devel- Email: eva.ford [at] mrccc.org.au but whether that’s achievable, we just don’t know.” Jono Hooper (Acting Editor) oping breeding techniques using less-threatened spe- Email: editor [at] qldfrogs.asn.au NORTH BURNETT Nadia Cambell – Ph: 4166 2049 UPCOMING EVENTS WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS Email: admin [at] goondicumpastoralco.com.au FROGSHOP SALES PINE RIVERS Unfortauntely the COVID-19 situation and restric- • Valentine McDonald • Amanda Weaver Jenny Holdway Rod Pattison - Ph: 3264 6391 tions put an end to our planned events for 2020, but • Marni Crofts • Vern Williams Ph: 07 3366 1868 Email: rjpattison [at] hotmail.com stay tuned via E-news Emails & our Facebook page as • Susanne Smyth • Michael Cunningham Email: frogshop [at] qldfrogs.asn.au REDLANDS we hope to try again next year! • Louise Beerens • Dominique Potvin Steve Homewood – Ph: 0423 036 676 • Emma Rosie • Eric Vanderduys POSTAL ADDRESS Email: bhomewoo [at] bigpond.net.au • Joanne Piper • Wendy Agnew SOMERSET REGION • Paula Adkins • Samual Morison PO Box 7017 East Brisbane, QLD Australia 4169 FROG QUESTIONS Jono Hooper • Archie Maymann • Geoffrey Heard Email: events_initiatives [at] qldfrogs.asn.au Have questions about frogs or toads? Message us on • Ben Hannay • Coralie Daniels THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS SOUTH BURNETT Messeneger/Facebook Wendy Benfer NEW PHONE NUMBER Email: raywendy.benfer [at] bigpond.com FROG HABITAT WORKING BEES The QLD Frog Society has a new phone number: RIC NATTRASS RESEARCH GRANT Bowman Park, Bardon First Wednesday and Sunday of each month, during 0491 140 720 The QFS Trust Fund was created with the purpose to the morning. Contact Phil for more info and/or visit help save QLD frogs through education and research https://www.facebook.com/ Please disregard the old number. Thankyou. by means of this Research Grant, and now stands at bowmanparkfroghabitatgroup/ $5,378.41 (+$1 since Spring edition)

2 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21 3 “Frog Hollow” in Karawatha were bone dry & therefore nasuta. Monday the Litoria wilcoxii living under the Shand Street bridge. FROGGING FOR FROG ID not an option. 9th saw Gillian Egan Mal’s an accomplished Herper & “snake magnet”, WEEK AT IPSWICH host us on her 2 acres of which he found two, a keel back & a pale headed We kicked off on Friday 6/11/20 with the lovely ’day herpers, I’m Brett & I have been Jenny’s in Greenbank. Gillian snake. We also found a very shy male Adelotus brevis Danyelle Gleeson hosting several locals at Lake Man- QFS Ipswich helper (Area Coordinator) for over a is an avid conserva- & got a few photos. Monday 16th, back at the won- chester. We found seven different species including my decade. It has been a pleasure. tionist and has a well- derful Gillian’s Greenbank pond, we encountered first sighting of Stony- G established colony of About six years I creek Frog Litoria started the Queens- Litoria latopalmata, wilcoxii. We discov- land Frogs Facebook Litoria fallax & Beep- ered well established group. It has seen my ing Froglet Crinia colonies of Eastern knowledge & enjoy- parinsignifera in her Sedgefrogs Litoria fal- ment from frogs small semi concreted lax & Broad-palmed increase substantially. Broad-palmed Rocketfrog dam. Gillian’s Latos Rocketfrogs Litoria Credit: B. Malcolm It has also led to a always put on a show latopalmata & Litoria personal association and we found seven different species on the night. wilcoxii in three sepa- with FrogID and the Tuesday a small group of us explored the small pond rate ponds. Frogger selfie Credit: D. Gleeson wonderful Jodi Row- of Mt Nebo road. We were treated by a good number ley. The FrogID app is Saturday the 7th saw of both Litoria peronii & Laughing Treefrogs Litoria brilliant, and I made a Hunter McCall lead a tylerii with several males calling from overhanging seven species. commitment to give it full group of 10 her- branches. Sean found a female Adelotus brevis who All in all, I had a great week. I enjoyed meeting some a real crack when I got pers to two sites on posed for a few photos before showing what great lovely Herpers, we experienced some exciting new the time. This year the Tamborine Mountain. swimmers they are & disappeared into the darkness. Happy Froggers gathered at Lake Manchester. Credit: D.Gleeson sites, sighted & photographed three new species for stars aligned with my The Brewery pond Wednesday, the Logan Legend Vincent Watego led a me & submitted a whole lot of FrogID audio files. rotating work roster (holidays) coinciding perfectly with was going off, with several Emerald-spotted Treefrogs small but enthusiastic group into the eastern side of FrogID Week. Litoria peronii calling. The second site teased us with a the Daisy Hill Koala Sanctuary. Unfortunately, it was a Now if we only got some rain so the new sites can re- few Tusked Frogs Adelotus brevis calling from the creek, ally show us what they have. I spoke to a few folks from QLD Frogs [Ed. Facebook complete bust with no water under the boardwalks. A but they were well hidden. There was a lovely gravid group] & over a few weeks we organised 11 nights of single Striped Marshfrog Lim. peroni & a single Lito- Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Lymnodynastes terraereginae Brett Malcolm herping. Several experienced herpers were approached ria fallax is all that we found. Lots of knowledge and who posed ages for photos. Both sites had well estab- & agreed to host a herpin’ night on sites that they laughs were shared & it was great catching up. lished Great Barred Frog Mixophyes fasciolatus tad- PRESIDENT REPORT recommended & had access to. Maximum numbers of poles which was nice to see. Thursday 12th was Ric Nattrass reserve in Bellbird ello to all QFS members, 10 folks per night and it was posted to the FB group for park. We found a huge Cane Toad Rhinella marina in- anyone interested who wanted to attend. It has been Sunday the 8th was pretty windy & we went back to My name is Ashley Keune and I have recently fested dam & spent the time netting & removing toad pretty dry & we reconnoitred a few sites in the nights Lake Manchester with Danyelle. More fallax, wilcoxi, Hbeen elected President of the QFS. I am hon- tadpoles for “Stepped Hypothermia”. A few cheeky leading up to Frog ID Week. Some of the usuals like and my first sighting of a Striped Rocketfrog Litoria oured to have been nominated and elected as Presi- Ornate Burrowing Frogs Platyplectum ornatum and dent moving forward into 2021. I have decided to take the ever-present Limnodynastes peroni popped up to on this position this year, as I wanted to become more keep us amused. actively involved in the QFS with the aim of getting As I was unavailable Saturday, Friday 13th we had two more people interested in looking after the environ- groups. Karawatha’s own Jill Fetchner leading one ment, educating people about frogs and toads in group into Karawatha & Danyelle Gleeson taking the general, as well as getting more people interested in last Ipswich group into Lake Manchester. Both groups frogging. had positive nights with lots of critters encountered for FrogID recordings. I have been involved with the QFS for approximately six years but have been involved with the occasional Saturday the 14th I had a wedding, not a frog in sight survey and some frogging and photographing with ... bugger. some current members for a few more years than Sunday 15th, Mal Shaw hosted at Grinstead Park, that. For the QFS, I have contributed by helping with Tusked Frog Credit: B. Malcolm Stony-creek Frog Credit: B. Malcolm Kedron Brook where I was amazed to see a colony of the display at the Nambour Garden Expo each year for

4 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21 5 the last five or six years to help educate people about the best in her new role. I hope that I will be able to at Cape York. Following the easing of restrictions, we the insects! (experiences may vary; I’m not liable if you get frogs and frog friendly gardens and to help answer any help the QFS continue to move forward in a positive decided to give it a red-hot go! bitten by a mozzie inside your home). questions people may have. I have also done a few direction and I look forward to being more involved The trip would see us travel some 5000kms and spend Cheers, Jono Hooper talks to different groups to educate people about local and getting to know more of the members as some 70 hours on the road as I began at Kilcoy and frog species including the Gympie Municipal Horticul- time goes on. Regards, Ashley Keune travelled to Bundaberg to meet Ben. We then contin- tural Society and ued heading north for a dozen frog species we hadn’t some school talks. Brookfield REPORT seen, some of which would require, as it turns out, i all, My background lots of effort to find, given the still very-dry conditions is in teaching and A working bee at Bowman Park was held on as the time. have currently Hthe 2nd December working under a COVID Safe Having undertaken extensive research into each target been teaching Plan. Activities inluded: species, their habitats and logistical challenges, we for 20 years. I live 1. Remedial work on the Kindy planting area. Finish were both pretty keen to explore some very unique in the beautiful moving mulch and in-fill planting. The plants have parts of QLD. Our trip took us to Eungella National Mary Valley on Eungella Tinker frog (Taudactylus liemi) Credit: J. Hooper been maintained by regular watering by HB contract Park, Black Mountain, Cape Melville, Iron Range and Ashley Keune a 45 acre rural help and Rose (a new volunteer). Plants that were re- back down the coast, including a stop-over at Mt property. I have moved / under threat by a turkey were replanted and Elliott, practising good frog hygeine at each location. always had an interest in fauna and flora and photog- plant protectors used to limit further damage. Unfortunately, due to some post-intensive frogging raphy but moving to this area is what triggered my fatigue (PIFF) and a 14 hour drive the next day, we love for frogs in particular. After moving to my prop- 2. Recently planted Richmond birdwing vines were didn’t make it up to the top of Mt Elliott as planned, erty, I began hearing many sounds that I had never watered. These have been watered each week by vol- for the southern-most known Cophixalus (nursery heard. After discovering the source of these sounds, I unteers, especially through the dry period. Kris (a new frog). To the right are some of our frog targets. was amazed to see that most were made by frogs that volunteer) has been very active in helping with this I had never seen before. In total I have documented and is very interested in frogs at the Park. Since returning home, we’d only had two rainfall Melville Range Treefrog (Litoria andirrmalin) and photo- events at the time of writing, and no rain for the The following wildlife species were sighted at the Credit: J. Hooper graphed 25 whole month of November. The Green treefrogs how- park: species of frog ever can always been found foraging outside at night, on my property. • Tusked Frog was heard calling in the creek; having emerged from the frog motels I’ve made and I am very lucky • Water dragons; other nooks and hollows. Counts of ~60 individuals to have this • Carpet python; are not uncommon on the 1 acre block out here, fol- diversity of frog • Bush turkeys; and lowing very good breeding events nearby in February Graceful Treefrog species on my • Numerous butterflies. and March. own property. Erica, who has been volunteering with our group for a few years. Joined us after the QUT immersion working The most recent rainfall event of 33mm was enough A big thank you to Jennifer Singfield who has done a bee. She has relocated to Darwin. We wish her all the to have at least half a dozen congregate and call great job as the outgoing President and I wish her all best in her new venture. around the pond I made, along with several Ornate Cape Melville Boulder Frog (Cophixalus zwefeli) Burrowing Frogs. Other species frequently seen Credit: J. Hooper We also welcomed Jeff Lye, our new HB support of- include Naked Treefrogs, Bleating Treefrogs, Spotted ficer who helped out during our last working bee. Marshfrogs, Striped Marshfrogs, and occasionally a Cheers, Phil Striped Rocketfrog and Broad-palmed Rocketfrog. Despite hearing them in the distance, I’m yet to hear CAPE YORK TRIP & or record the ‘staple’ Eastern Sedgefrog and Graceful SOMERSET REPORT Treefrog on the property. nitially planned for late March, the Coronavirus Keep any eye out on our Facebook page as from time Broad-palmed Rocketfrog pandemic rudely post-poned plans I had made with to time I’ll do a ‘live’ frogging event, whereby you can Cape York Gracfeul Treefrog (Litoria bella) Ifriend and fellow frogger Ben Revell to go frogging go ‘frogging’ from the comfort of your home without Credit: J. Hooper

6 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21 7 #qldfrogs Each newsletter features a selection of photos by our keen Instagram followers who tag their QLD frog photos with #qldfrogs. Tag yours to be featured here!

Green-eyed Treefrog (Litoria serrata) by @jradbarnes

Striped burrowing frog (Cyclorana alboguttata) eating a Barking frog (Limnodynastes fletcheri) by @tylermonachino_wildlife’

Southern Orange-eyed Treefrog (Litoria chloris) by @a.jphotographs

NEXT EDITION Thankyou to those of you who contributed to this newsletter. Deadline for Autumn Frogsheet contributions is 18 February 2021

If undelivered, please return to SURFACE MAIL QLD Frog Society Inc POSTAGE PAID PO Box 7017 AUSTRALIA East Brisbane, QLD 4169

Frogsheet - Summer 2020-21 Print Post Approved PP424022/00619

8 FROGSHEET - Summer 2020-21