# 260 Spotted Tree Frogs released at Mt Buffalo



## mad_at_arms (Feb 7, 2012)

Was around Albury area yesterday and seen this on the front page of the Border Mail.
*Frogs return to Buffalo*
ASHLEY ARGOON
04 Feb, 2012 01:00 AM
THIS little guy will be taking in the Alpine air from his new home at Mount Buffalo today after spending his life so far in captivity.
He and 259 other frogs have been bred at the Amphibian Research Centre in Melbourne in a bid to save the species.
Spotted tree frogs are few and far between in the wild, with the species confirmed extinct at Mount Buffalo in 1983.
It is believed the spotted tree frog thrived before European settlement, with goldmining, forestry, introduced species and development disturbing their habitats.
The final blow is believed to have come with the foreign amphibian chytrid fungus arriving in the Buffalo National Park.
But the Department of Sustainability and Environment is now trying to reverse the situation by returning the frogs to the mountain.
The 260 frogs, from one to three years’ old, travelled more than seven hours yesterday in 24 plastic boxes to get to their new home.
DSE ecologist Graeme Gillespie said the survival of native species was important for the ecosystem.
“If you were to let species go extinct, where do you draw the line, how many species can you let go extinct before you have a major problem with an ecosystem unravelling?,” he said.
The release today will mean that Mount Buffalo will have the highest number of spotted tree frogs in Victoria, with only about one or two frogs found in other places each year.
The frogs have all been marked on their toes so researchers can track their progress in the future.

Frogs return to Buffalo - Local News - News - General - The Border Mail
Also heard an interview with Gerry Marrintelli on an radio program, saying there is plans to release another 1000 in the near future.


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## Ramsayi (Feb 7, 2012)

Have they did anything to address the situations which caused their decline in the first place?


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## MathewB (Feb 7, 2012)

If you mean chytrid, then no. They haven't found a way to combat it. There isn't much they can do about the original reasons


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## Ramsayi (Feb 7, 2012)

If that's the case then they are doomed for failure.


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## Jeffa (Feb 7, 2012)

Ramsayi I would like to put a like at your latest comment but hope is always there.\

Quite a few Aussie frogs have adapted a resistance to Chitrid after the initial wipe out, (same as toads I guess) I do not know if ARC somehow uses chitrid to immunise or at least lets them tolerate it, but if habitat destruction and all the other exctinction causes come into play then you might as well use a certain paddle up a creek.
I hope they (ARC) are on to something and I applaude their efforts for the preservation of the species.


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## mad_at_arms (Jan 3, 2013)

DSE update from dec. 19th
Spotted Tree frogs bouncing back at top spot


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## TrevorJ (Jan 3, 2013)

Well you have to give it to them for enthusiasm, 260 released and they found 40 and that's "bouncing back"? If they went back and found 400 I'd be more optimistic of their long term success.


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## clopo (Jan 3, 2013)

40 out of 260 is a great recapture rate. It is also promising that a a number of them were in breeding condition. There was no mention of chytrid fungus being present this time, however it was present shortly after release. Let's hope the ones left have some type of immunity to it.


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## bk201 (Jan 3, 2013)

Lets release an uncommon frog and tell the world the exact location
Shopping time.


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## Asharee133 (Jan 4, 2013)

I was camping up there once, I had to pee behind a tree because there was like, a full on.. froggy A.A meeting going on in the toilets...


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