Pseudophryne corroboree 

The Southern Corroboree Frog is one of Australia’s best known frog species because of its brightly coloured pattern of yellow and black stripes. This frog species only occurs at high altitudes in the Snowy Mountains Region of Kosciuszko National Park, where it breeds in bog and swamp environments. The Southern Corroboree Frog is listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and Endangered under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

The Southern Corroboree Frog is seriously threatened with extinction in the wild as a result of disease caused by infection with a pathogen known as the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus. The dire predicament faced by this species in the wild means that the establishment of a captive breeding program is the only action that will prevent the complete extinction of this spectacular frog species. Zoos Victoria has been making an important contribution to this program since 2001 through efforts to develop successful captive breeding techniques.

The Program Focus

The conservation program for the Southern Corroboree Frog is at a critical stage. Because the Southern Corroboree Frog is rapidly approaching extinction in the wild, it is particularly important that a sustainable captive breeding program is established that maintains this species’ existing genetic variation. Beyond securing this species in captivity, the primary focus is to implement a reintroduction program that allows the on-going interaction between the Southern Corroboree Frog and the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus in the wild long enough for a sustainable co-existence between host and pathogen to evolve. 

In the long-term, the overall objective of the National Recovery Program is to down-list the Southern Corroboree Frog from Endangered to Vulnerable.

The Conservation Issue

The primary factor causing the decline of the Southern Corroboree Frog is disease caused by infection with the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus. Current information suggests that this pathogen was introduced into the Australian environment during the late 1970s.  Infection by this pathogen causes the disease Chytridiomycosis, which results in damage to the frogs’ outer skin layers. This pathogen appears to be particularly virulent to species like the Southern Corroboree Frog, which occur at high altitudes in cool and moist environments.

Climate change is also expected to have a substantial negative impact on the Southern Corroboree Frog, particularly if it results in more frequent drought events and a general drying of the environment. Corroboree Frogs are susceptible to increased drought frequency because they typically breed in ephemeral pools that in drought years dry before the tadpoles attain metamorphosis. In addition, a reduction in the water table at breeding sites is likely to result in the loss of breeding pools due to encroachment and smothering from increased vegetation growth.

Zoos Victoria’s Conservation Field Partners

The recovery program is led by the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change and includes representatives from the following organisations:

Amphibian Research Centre
ACT Parks, Conservation and Lands
Department of Environment and Water
Murray Catchment Management Authority
Taronga Zoo

The Program Plan

The broad objectives for the Southern Corroboree Frog Recovery Program are to:

• Monitor and assess the ongoing status of populations and locate eggs for the captive rearing and breeding program
• Monitor breeding habitats to determine the likely influence of climate change
• Run a captive breeding program to prevent the complete extinction of this species and maintain existing genetic variation
• Trial re-introductions to determine the most effective technique to maintain this species in the wild
• Conduct ongoing research to determine the ecological interactions between the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus and the Southern Corroboree Frog

Zoos Victoria's Role

Zoos Victoria’s key roles in the recovery of this species are to:

1. Supplement in situ populations through captive breeding for reintroduction.
2. Maintain an insurance population in captivity in the event that the wild population continues to decline.
3. Assist with population monitoring programs.
4. Undertake research into the role of Amphibian Chytrid fungus in population declines.
5. Increase community awareness of the plight of the Southern Corroboree Frog and community support for its conservation.

Reports and Publications

DECC NSW. Priority Action Statement for the Southern Corroboree Frog Pseudophryne corroboree. Department of Environment and Climate Change, NSW.
http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10693

Hunter, D., Osborne, W., Marantelli, G. and Green, K. (1999).  Implimentation of a population augmentation project for remnant populations of the Southern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne corroboree). Pp 158-167 in Declines and Disappearances of Australian Frogs ed by A. Campbell. Environment Australia: Canberra.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2001) Approved Recovery Plan for the Southern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne corroboree). NSW NPWS, Hurstville NSW.

Osborne W.S. (1989). Distribution, relative abundance and conservation status of Corroboree Frogs Pseudophryne corroboree Moore (Anura: Myobatrachidae). Australian Wildlife Research 6:537-547.

Osborne W.S. and Norman (1991). Conservation genetics of Corroboree Frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree: population subdivision and genetic divergence.  Aust. J. Zool. 39:285-297.

Osborne W. S., Zentelis R. A. and Lau, M. (1996) Geographical Variation in Corroboree Frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree Moore (Anura: Myobatrachidae): A Reappraisal Supports Recognition of P. pengilleyi Wells and Wellington. Australian Journal of Zoology. 569-587.